This Crazy Thing Called Life
by Rose Melissa Ivashkov
Summary: There is Adrian Ivashkov and there is Rose Hathaway. Both addicted to the "good life" and daddy's money. But when someone starts hunting Rose Hathaway and her loved ones, and Adrian being one of them, their lives are not so much anymore a "good life."
1. The Gorgeous Guy

**Well, my lovely readers, I was listening to a song when I suddenly got inspired to write this one-shot. I really like it. It has some potential to becoming a new Adrian/Rose fic. Yes, I do remember saying that "Another Romance" was my last Adrian/Rose fic, but somehow I wanted more. And I needed to write another story. This story is not going to have lots of fluff; it's going to be more action-y. This story was inspired by the song "My Kind of Party" by Jason Aldean so it's kind of country. And it's an Alternate Universe story. Well, I hope you enjoy(:**

Chapter 1: The Gorgeous Guy

"Sorry," I told the girl that was currently lying in my bed, "but you need to go. I've some place to be." That was the rules in this house—once you got it in, the girl needed out. I'd gotten what I wanted from that girl and it was time for her to leave.

"What if I don't want to leave?" she asked, challenging me with her eyes.

I shrugged. I couldn't care less if she stayed or not. Whatever her decision was—whether it was to stay or leave—a new girl would brought to the house tonight, no matter what. "I don't give a damn if you stay or not. But it would be best you leave, 'cause you isn't going to be any good tonight."

"You're a douche-bag, Adrian Ivashkov! A douche-bag!"

I kept my poker face in check to not let my shock show. This hadn't been the first girl I had slept with—wouldn't she know that Adrian Ivashkov wasn't interested in relationships? Adrian Ivashkov was all about getting it in, bringing a girl for the night and getting some. My tamper flared. I strode towards the girl, whose name I'd forgotten, and tightened my fingers around her forearm. I leaned in close so my face was right next to hers.

"I told you to leave, and that's what I expect you to do." Ignoring her weak attempts to slap my face, I walked off to my shower. My thirty-minute, cold shower wasn't enough to tame my anger. This anger was definitely going to turn into passion later on tonight when I brought home a new girl for the usual hookup. I quickly got dressed and sprayed the cologne the ladies went crazy over. My hair was kept on the usual way the chicks loved.

Slipping on my cowboy boots, tossing my black leather jacket over my shoulder, I started my black, lifted truck and drove down to the tailgate out in the backyard, in the woods. My engine roared as I pressed down on the gas pedal, the exhaust pipe blowing out a black cloud of smoke. When I arrived to where the tailgate was being hosted, I parked my truck where all my boys' trucks were parked.

Climbing off my truck, I went to go find my boys.

"My boys" consisted of the group made up by five guys that had nothing better to do than waste away their Dad's money on fixing trucks, expensive cigarettes, cheap woman, hardcore liquor and rave-like parties. The guys were my best friends ever since grade school. My boys were Brian, Paul, Richard, Dimitri, and I.

"Yo, gangsters, what's crackin'?"

"Adrian, my man!" Paul called out as I made my way towards him. As I greeted the boys, I looked around the party to check out all the lovely woman. To my distaste, the woman in the party, I already had done. There was nothing better that doing strangers.

"Check that girl out. She has one nice ass," Paul told me as he handed me an ice-cold beer. I flicked the cap of the bottle and took a swig, letting my gaze wander over to where Paul was pointing. I stopped drinking when I noticed the hottie. She was wearing an olive-green tank top that showed half her waist and she was wearing holey jeans them country girls I liked wore.

In the midst of everything, she caught my stare. She tossed her hair back, exposing more of her skin than she was originally was showing. She was a keeper for the night.

I withdrew my gaze when I noticed a black-haired dude grip her by the arm and haul her away to a dark corner. By the look he gave her, it didn't look like a good idea for her to be alone with him. "She's taken."

"It's not like that's stopped you before, bro. Take that girl for a ride. Show her what it's like to be with a real man."

I raised my beer in a toast to Paul. "Well, Paul, I'm gonna go catch me some babes."

In response, Paul raised his beer as well and turned back to the girl who was currently seeking his attention.

My gaze wandered back to where the girl had been.

There was something disturbing in the way the guy with the black hair had taken her away. It was like he wanted to harm her. Being as discreet as possible, I forced my feet to take me where the girl had disappeared. I had a bad feeling. I needed to know she was alright. I had never felt so much appreciation for a female. My usual way of thinking was that girls were only to be used for their holes and nothing more . . .

I made my way around someone's truck and found the girl and the black haired dude arguing.

I was never the nosy, curious kind, and I had never had once been in a situation like this. Never. Not until now that is . . .

He had her chin gripped in his hand. "What do you think you're doing? You're my whore! My whore only!"

"I do whatever I want! Let go of me!"

"You don't do whatever _you _want, but I can sure as hell do whatever _I _want with _you_."

"Christian! Get your hands off me!" She screamed as she struggled with him.

Okay, Ivashkov, this is none of your business. It's best you leave.

"Be quiet, Rose, you whore!"

I turned to leave but stopped when I heard her name was Rose. Christian and Rose. This was my sister's best friend. My sister, Marisol, had told me a lot of her best friend. She told me that Rose didn't really have family. Her mother had died when she was fifteen and her father was a mob-man that dealt with dirty business. He was never around, but Marisol had told me he would kill for his baby girl. Since Rose didn't really have anything, she relied on her nasty boyfriend—a boyfriend that had brutally beaten her and abused her several times—for support.

Not only was this girl my sister's best friend; this was the girl I had been chasing for over so many years.

This was my business now.

When that Christian boy was about to strike, I caught his hand and pushed the lovely Rose behind me, protecting her.

"I do believe the lady said to get your dirty hands of her." My tone could not have been more menacing and challenging.

He actually backed off. "This is no business of yours to have to pay any mind to!"

"It's my business when it involves a nasty man, putting his dirty hands on an innocent girl." I stepped closer to him. He was tall, but I still had a few inches on him.

Rose stepped in front of me. "Thanks, but I can take care of myself." With bravery, she balled up her first and punched Christian square in the face. "I am tired of all your shit! Yes, you're right. I did cheat on you." She gave a mean laugh. "In fact, I've been cheating on you every night with whatever guy I could get my hands on. I even had sex with your brother."

Oh, this girl was so amazing. A complete turn-on; she was coming with me home tonight.

Christian's face stared to get red, heating up from the anger that was building. He tried attacking Rose once more, but I was there to protect her. She put herself in front of me once more. "Don't mess with me, Ozera. I've been the 'good girl' that dealt with all your crap. I'm done."

"Rose—"

"I'm not done talking so be quiet. From this day forward, I am a single woman. You don't exist for me. I've been keeping quiet for so long. And if you try to mess with me once more, I will make sure Daddy knows and you know what he's willing to do just to keep his daughter safe," she said, tossing her hair and stomping her heel.

She was definitely a keeper.

And just like that, she walked away from Christian as his mouth gaped open.

After a second, she turned around and gave me the "come and get me" grin and like a fool I was gone for her again.

Before I went, I looked into those ice-blue eyes that belonged to Christian Ozera. "You have been the ice that has frostbitten Rose for so long . . . But I am the fire, the fire that will burn the skin, inflaming Rose with passion, from this night on."

I walked away, claiming my newly won prize . . .

**How did you like the one-shot? Do you think it should be turned into a full story? Please review! **

**-M**


	2. Taking Me Home

Chapter 2: Taking Me Home

"I'm yours for the night . . . what shall we do?" I asked, putting my hand on my hip, staring him down.

Tonight . . . it was all about having fun.

Every day I had to endure Christian's shit. I was tired. Tonight would end all that crap. All freaking night he had been bothering, asking me if I had cheated on him. He wanted an answer; I gave it to him! Yes, I was scared of being alone, but I rather be alone than deal with Christian's annoying ass everyday!

Adrian took a drink of his beer as his gaze hungrily took my body in. "We shall have fun," he said, throwing me a million dollar smile.

"Good—I've been craving fun for so long." My voice had dropped to a seductive tone.

That million dollar smile stayed put. "And I've been craving _you _for so long."

"I know that," I said, stepping a little closer to him, putting my hand just under the fold of his collar. "My best friend is your sister and she tells me things."

A little step closer to me. "What does she tell you?"

"She basically told me, in a very polite way, that you wanted to screw me," I said, dropping a little suggestive tone in the last part of the sentence. "Do you?"

Suddenly, his hands were on what was exposed of my waist and I could feel his fingers just entering the edge of my shirt. "What do you think?"

"I don't know . . . I was never really good at the guessing game."

His lips just coolly pressed against mine. "I guess you have to wait and let me show you. . ."

"I am not very good at being patient, how about you just show me now?"

He looked around the party and looked back at me. "I don't think right now is the time. Just you wait till we're alone later tonight. For now, let's go hit up on some drinks."

Adrian dragged me off, taking me to where four guys stood, each with females by their sides. Adrian introduced me to them, calling each by their names—Brian, Paul, Richard, and Dimitri. Brian was a really tall guy with the bluest eyes; Paul was tall and was the least puny aside from Adrian; Richard had blonde hair and brown eyes; and Dimitri looked like he could tower of the Empire State building.

"I thought you said she was taken?" Paul asked.

"_Was _taken. She's mine for the night now." All the guys laughed. I was a little eager of getting it on with Adrian. I had heard stories about him. He was the King of Sex. And a distraction like that was what I needed most in this time of life. A little distraction couldn't be harmful, could it?

"Darling, you want a little drink of this?" Adrian asked, holding out a jar that was filled with a yellowish-brownish translucent liquid. I took a sip out of it. It felt like acid going down my throat. I almost spat it out but it wouldn't be so attractive if spat it out in front of Adrian's boys. "If you want to drink, give up your keys," he said, getting the jar out of my hands.

I raised an eyebrow. "Why? I thought I was going home with you tonight. It's you that shouldn't drink. Now hand over the Moon Shine," I said, taking the jar out of his arms.

"Damn Adrian, you sure got yourself a decent catch for the night," Dimitri commented.

Adrian smiled. "I know. And now it's time to take her home," Adrian said, taking all liquor out my hands.

"See ya'll later," I called out to Adrian's friends.

"Have fun," Dimitri called out, winking.

"Oh we will," Adrian said, leading me to his truck.

Christian was nowhere in sight as Adrian and I departed. I was thankful; I didn't want another scene between him and me. I'd had enough with him and his crap. I was done and over with Christian. He could go suck a cow udder for all I cared.

"So, my place or yours?" Adrian asked, pulling out the cigarette he had stored on top of his ear and lighting it.

Once he took a drag, I stole the cigarette and took a drag myself. "Yours," I said, blowing out the smoke.

Adrian stared at me with amazement as I finished of his cigarette. "I really like you now," he said.

"Watch the road" was all I said, finishing off the cigarette and throwing it out the window.

The small take we were making on the way to his house was nonsense. But the mood changed once we arrived at his house. We hopped off his truck and I looked around his house. It was a small house, a million times smaller than the one I lived in, but the house was expensive and luxurious, nonetheless. The color outside was so dark, though, and I was pretty sure the inside was the same as the outside.

"Make yourself at home," Adrian said, dropping the keys on the entrance table, and kicking off his boots.

"Thanks," I said, walking over to him, putting an arm around his neck and kissing him. He was surprised at first, but caught on quick. He hands started exploring places they hadn't explored before. Without breaking the kiss, we started walking to his room, I supposed. Thank God the walk was short.

He pushed me on the bed, making sure he stayed on top of me and to not break the kiss. Boy was he good! I didn't have time to look around his room; no, I was too busy for  
"sightseeing". He started pulling at my shirt, lifting it, and finally taking it off.

"Damn gorgeous . . ." he whispered onto my skin as he kissed my lips.

He crushed his mouth to mine and I all I could do was take him. In this moment, he was like the salvation I needed in order to be saved properly. I sat up, tugging at his shirt, pulling it over his head and tossing it on the floor. I was not shocked at what I saw. His chest was amazing. A tanned chest with only a slight amount of manly hair.

He started to get busy with my body as well, removing clothing and learning each and every inch I had of my body. He wanted to take it slow. I was anxious, desperate even, as he slowly explored my body with his mouth.

I gave a soft yelp that symbolized arousal as he caressed me. I was his woman for the night and he was pampering me. Christian would have never done this. Adrian was treating me like a woman, treating me in a way that I had never been treated before tonight. He made me feel the most amazing pleasure . . .

With a greedy passion, I grabbed his head again and started kissing him once more. . .

After our intimate moment, we cuddled in bed together.

We stared deeply into one another's eyes and feelings that hadn't been dormant for so long were starting to awaken . . .


	3. Awakened Feelings

**So far, this chapter has been my favorite! Enjoy (:**

**I don't own VA…

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Chapter 3: Awakened Feelings

A shivering body and the cold rush of the morning wind was what woke me up. I glanced behind me and noticed there were several windows open. That's how I liked to sleep—in the cold with a big blanket covering me. But apparently the girl in my arms was not used to sleeping in the cold weather. Shivering more so than before, she cuddled closer to me. My other arm went automatically around her. There was only sheets wrapped around us and I reached down to grab the thick blanket and threw it over us.

"It's cold," Rose said, putting her cold hands behind my neck as to prove her point. "Can you please go shut the windows? Crap, I need to go pee."

I laughed. Boy was she a complainer; she had proved as so last night, but hell, she was the best girl I had ever been with. I lifted myself off the bed, while she hurried into the restroom. I closed all the windows because even I, the cold lover, was feeling the coldness. I went back to lay on the bed, waiting for my girl to get out of the restroom. When she came out, absolutely naked, she came to join me on the bed.

Automatically, my arms went around Rose again.

"Is it time for me to leave?" she asked quietly while fooling around with the edge of my blanket. Where was the loud girl from last night, the girl that was willing to let me do whatever I wanted to her last night. "Adrian?"

"What?"

"Is it time for me to leave?"

"Leave?" I asked her with a confused look.

"You only want girls for the night. The night is over. I guess you can say my contract is over with you."

I brought her closer, pressing my naked body against her naked body. "How about we renew that contract and add a more days, weeks even?" I didn't give her time to answer. My lips glued with hers, as our tongues fought for dominance. Rose let my lips travel down her throat and I bit lightly; she gave a soft sigh. "What do you say?"

"Definitely . . ."

I could feel she wanted to take it farther, but I hadn't stopped at the drug store last night and the condom stash was empty. I didn't want to deal with a kid in this partying point in my life. Besides, I didn't actually know if Rose was legal or not. I was twenty-one and if the law found out I was screwing somebody under eighteen, I would be fucked.

I pulled away from her, earning a soft pout from her lips. Again my mind ask: What happened to that girl from last night? This was definitely not the behavior she had been showing me last night, as mentioned. In the night Rose was reckless and irresponsible; in the morning Rose was now sensible and delicate.

"How old are you?" I asked at random.

"I just turned eighteen yesterday."

"Was it a fun birthday?"

"My Dad was away on a business trip, my step-mother was out being her usual shopping self, and Christian was fucking away with his lover, and the only one who remembered me was your sister." She smiled while running her hand smoothed down my chest. "And of course, you made the best out of my birthday."

It made me glad that I made her day when everyone had forgotten about her. "We need to celebrate," I said, already planning for another tailgate party.

"Do we?"

"Yes, we do—" A very soft knock on the door interrupted me. I looked expectantly at the door. My sister popped her head in. "Can I help you?"

"Just wanted to let you know that . . . is that Rose!" She demanded staying rooted in place.

Rose gave a little, half-tease wave. She waggled her eyebrows. "Hey, M."

"Rose, I so did not expect this from you. I thought you said you were sleeping in your own cozy bed, in the safety of your own cozy house!" I chuckled. My sister was so innocent sometimes.

"Nope, my dear. I was kicking it with your brother, who is quite nice, by the way."

Marisol looked horrified. "Oh, God. Please tell me you just spent the night, _sleeping _in his bed, completely clothed."

"Uh," Rose began, "you're going to have to let me borrow some clothes. Your brother kind of destroyed mine last night."

Marisol's look of horror turned to a look of complete terror. She surveyed the room. "Well, I hope you were safe." Marisol turned back to me. "Mom and Dad said they'll be here any minute so you better get Rose to her house before Mom finds out you've been bringing girls over to the house. Let's go get you changed Rose."

Planting a kiss on my lips, Rose wrapped herself in a sheet and ran out of the room, following Marisol out to her room. I tossed the blankets off me and started my way towards the shower. It took a while for the warm water to settle in but when it eventually did kick in, I hopped in the shower. Since my parents were not far away, I had to do it quick. I assessed my sexy self (A/N: I _just _had to put that in there) for a second in the mirror. Damn, there was a bite mark on my throat, just behind my ear lobe. Time to bring out the collared shirt and the scarf my grandfather had given me.

I saw my parent's truck enter the dirt road that led to our house. I was just in time. I walked down the hallway and into the living room where Marisol and Rose sat. Rose wore a cotton dress with her favorite pair of cowgirl boots. She looked pretty, but I was pretty sure this girl could look good in anything. Although she did look beautiful with certain kind of clothes, she looked better without.

I was about to sit right next to Rose, but Marisol stopped me. "Nope, don't get too close to her. You guys had enough action last night. Rose told me all of it."

Rose gave Marisol a glare. "I did not; I told you _some _of it. And he can sit anywhere he wants."

"No, he can't. You know how my mother is. She freaks out over whatever little reason. She doesn't believe in premarital sex and Adrian having a girl over is like a stab to her heart. You see, Adrian is her baby. She doesn't want some random girl being with him."

"I'm not a random girl; I am your best friend."

"You are, but don't let her get the slightest hint that you spent the night with Adrian because next time you show up at our house, she will most likely kick you out."

"Let's not talk shit anymore." I nodded towards the door. "They're here."

I was already used to standing up and opening the door and greeting them respectfully. I gave my mother a hug and shook my father's hand. Marisol did the same, expect she hugged both my parents.

"Rose, baby girl, it's been so long since you showed up around here. Been missing you. How are you?" My mother said, taking Rose into her arms.

"I'm great, Daniella, thanks," Rose said with a sweet smile like an innocent girl would smile, a total contradiction to the crazy girl she had been last night.

"Hey, darling. It's great to see you." My father said, taking her in his arms as well. "Good to see you too, Nathan."

When Rose's Mom died, my mother had been like Rose's second mother. She showed up her every day. At the time, I had just turned eighteen and was enjoying myself, but Rose was definitely something good to look at. I'd secretly been chasing her, but stopped myself because I was an adult and she was a child. I promised when she was legal, she would be mine. I guess I fulfilled my own promise . . .

My parents started a random conversation with Rose, asking her about her Dad and stepmom and asking about her life lately. After that, we sat down for breakfast. Another random conversation started and this time it included all of us. Then, my mother asked a dangerous question.

"Did you spend the night, Rose darling?" I started coughing. "Sweetheart, you alright?" I nodded.

Rose gave smiled a little evilly. "Yes, I did. Sorry I didn't ask permission, but it was kind of sudden."

My mother waved her second sentence off. "It's fine, darling. You know you're welcomed here anytime. This is my home as well as your home. I hope you had fun," my mom said warmly.

"Oh, she did," I said a little darkly.

"Yes, I did."

"Good, good." My mom said, oblivious to the cheeky looks we were giving one another.

After breakfast, my father ordered me to go work in the fields. I had to plow the fields with our tractor. That was better than the job he had given Rose (yes, Rose followed my dad's orders). Rose had to groom pigs for the fair next weekend. And pigs were little crazy mutts that liked to roll around in mud all the time.

Throwing on my boots, I went to the barn and started the tractor. As I took the tractor for the first round, I noticed Rose chasing a pig that had escaped from the corral. I just had to laugh, turning off the tractor and sitting back to enjoy the show. After a few seconds of laughing, I hopped off the tractor and went to help her, shaking my head as I went.

As soon as I got a closer view, I laughed again.

Rose turned to glare at me. "Ivashkov, this is not funny!"

"Need help, sweetheart?" I teased.

"If you were a real man, you'd help!"

Since I was used to doing jobs on the farm, I put the pig back in the corral in less than a minute. I closed the wooden gate and turned to look at her amusingly, leaning against the wooden fence, crossing my arms over my chest. "See, that wasn't hard at all."

"If kids are like pigs, then I'm never having kids," she said turning her back on me.

I walked over to her and wrapped my arms around her, squishing her to me. "Don't say that. Now, do you know how to drive a tractor?"

She shook her head. "I can't do anything! All my fucking life I've been pampered and my dad has paid for everyone to do my dirty work! I am no good for anything! Maybe Christian is right!"

I turned her to me and gripped her chin in my hands. "Don't listen to what that bastard says! He's gone. It's just 'bout you and me now, okay?"

"But he's right."

"Forget about him. I am here to help you, alright?" She nodded meekly. I pecked her on the lips. "Now let's go ride the tractor." I did something I had never done before with any other woman—I laced my fingers with hers. She looked up to me and smiled, a little shyly. I walked over to the tractor and got in again. I patted my lap. "Climb on my lap."

Rose somehow got the hang of driving a tractor.

I put around her waist, holding her so she wouldn't fly off the tractor. I could tell she was having a good time. She laughed and you could immediately tell the stress of her earlier life was being relieved. My heart warmed and sped up faster. I leaned in to her ear and whispered words I had never before said in my life time:

"I love you."

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**Aww…what do you think Rose's reaction will be? Please review for the next chapter!**

**-M**


	4. A Little Conflict

**Sorry for the short chapter but I am really, really tired. And some chapter, is better than no chapter right? It was my brother's b-day and we took him out eat. It was very, very good food. I want to thank you all for reviewing! I got 15 reviews in just one chapter update! That is amazing! Keep up the amazingness! And here's this chapter…just for you. Enjoy(:**

**I don't own VA…

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Chapter 4: A Little Conflict

My hands on the steering wheel stiffened. He had to take over the wheel so that we wouldn't crash into one of the many trees that surrounded the Ivashkov farm. I pulled my arms away from him. I was pretty overtaken with shock and _fear _of loving. There was only _once_—ever in my life that I had loved someone and he pretty much told me he didn't care about me. He only wanted my money.

"Rose, you okay?" he asked me, giving me a nervous laugh.

"Adrian, I . . ."

"Rose, baby girl, your daddy just called," Adrian's mother called out from the edge of the field. "He wants you home right this moment!"

I stuttered over my response as I was speaking to Adrian. "I'm sorry—I have to go home now."

"I understand," he said at last. "Please just let me drive you home."

"Okay," I said, taking his hand as I hopped off the tractor. It was extremely quiet as we walked to his truck. Not that I expected anything else but silence. I couldn't stop thinking of what he had said earlier. "I love you." he'd whispered in my ear when I least expected it. He had said "I love you!" I never would have thought he'd have that in him. Watching him through the years, I didn't think he was capable of those feelings, much less expressing them out loud like he had earlier.

He walked me to my door and still no words were spoken between us. Just when I was opening the door that he spoke.

"Rose?"

"Yeah?" I turned around fast at the call of my name.

He leaned in closer to me, resting his hand on the wall, left of my face. He could barely look at me in the eyes. He took his time in speaking, breathing in and out a couple of times. "I'm sorry—those words were said so sudden. We've known each other for three years and we barely started talking just yesterday and to say those words was absurd."

It took me a while to speak as well. "Don't be sorry. It's me that's sorry." I shrugged. "I guess . . . I am not ready for that kind of commitment. I've been broken and I need to heal."

He caressed my check. "I understand, darling." He leaned down and kissed my lips tenderly, so tender—it was just a soft brushing of the lips.

Of course like all the happy moments, it had to end . . .

"Rose, what are you doing with him?"

I broke away from Adrian to look at . . . Christian.

He looked pissed, like a bull that'd seen the color red. And I was the target. I didn't really have time to react. I was already waiting for what was to come, I could already feel his rough hands on me. But unlike other times, Adrian was here to protect me this time. He put me behind him, using his body to block me from Christian.

"Can I help you with something?" Adrian asked, staring down at Christian.

"I want to talk to my girlfriend," he said, sounding impatient.

"I am not your girlfriend," I spat out.

"Rose, why are you doing this to us?" Out of nowhere, Christian reached out and punched Adrian right in the face. Adrian staggered back, almost losing his balance. And then Christian was in my face. "Why are you doing this to us! I thought you loved me? Were you lying?" He pushed me against the wall as he gripped my arms. "Why?" he asked, this time getting a handful of my hair and banging my head against the wall.

Adrian recovered himself. "Bastard! Don't you ever treat Rose like that ever again!" He was in the process of throwing Christian against the wall when we heard . . .

"Stop. I can take care of this."

It was my Dad.

Scared out of my mind, I ran to his arms. "Hey, darling. It's alright now. Daddy's gonna take care of this problem like always." He put his heavy, intimidating gaze right on Christian. He motioned for Adrian to come our way. "Adrian, son, can you take my baby girl inside? I don't want her to be here in case things get dirty."

"Yes, Mr. Mazur." I walked willingly into Adrian's arms, loving the fact that his arms wrapped protectively around me.

"Now, Mr. Ozera, come take a walk with me."

"I don't want to go," Christian said, standing his ground.

"I am not _asking_ you if you want go—I'm _telling_ you to come take a walk with me." My father started walking and a few seconds later, Christian followed. My dad did not take "no" for an answer very easy.

I walked inside with Adrian. I ran to my room, wanting to escape from the world. I leaned against the door and slid down, wrapping my arms around my knees, beginning to cry out all the emotion I was feeling.

I wiped away some tears and hoped that my eyes weren't dry and red. I couldn't help but feel more pain as I realized that I was alone. Very alone. I mean, Adrian was there for me, but he probably would leave me alone in the same way Christian would leave me—sooner or later, it had to happen. I really was alone, for the first time ever. It hurt, let me tell you, but what could I do?

"Rose, baby, I'm sorry he did that to you," Adrian spoke from behind the door. He had gone from dangerous to caring in less than a second. Venomous deeds were his thing, never compassionate acts. And, it was surprising to see something different for a change. Surprising and scary, was what it was. I had never know Adrian could be so compassionate, but then again, his "bad-boy" self was probably an act. "Let me in."

I stood up and opened the door. "What do you want?" I asked, wiping more tears that just wanted to fall out of my eyes at an inappropriate moment. I needed to get a hold of myself but I couldn't. The only thing that kept me going was the thought that someone else was having a much worse day than I was. But, that didn't stop the tears.

It was exactly because of guys like that I was going through this. Being a little upset with him was natural.

"You, that is all I want. And I want _you _well."

I didn't say anything—couldn't say anything. I sat down on the bed, but on the edge, the edge that was close to the wall. I curled into a ball. Adrian came over to sit next to me. He didn't do anything at first, but, after a second, he gathered me into his arms and onto his lap. His compassionate act made me cry even harder. And, I just cried there in the safety of his arms.

"Let me tell you something, Rose, something that my mother told me every night when I used to go to sleep before I turned into a partying guy," he said, his lips hovering over my ears. "She said, 'You mean the world to someone.' And, Rose, you mean the world to me."

That should have thawed me a bit, but it got the opposite reaction out of me. I shot of Adrian's arms and wiped my tears angrily. "Just stop, okay? I don't want to hear it anymore!"

"Hear what?" Adrian asked, trying to reach for me.

"All these lies. I hear them all the time from Christian. He says he loves me, but, do you think that someone who says that he loves someone, do you think that they would cheat on them? He thinks that I don't about those late nights he had with Serena Arallow when we started dating." I didn't care who heard what I knew. I just wanted it all out. "Now tell me, Adrian Ivashkov, do you do that to somebody you 'love?'"

"No! But you certainly do _this_ with someone you love!"

"Do what?"

And he kissed me.

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**Aww…how sweet. What should happen next! Review for the next chapter! And take lots of care…**

**-M**


	5. Compromising Situation

**I am very gracious for the generous reviews! I love you all! And here is this chapter that has lots of "Compromising Situations." Enjoy(:**

**I don't own VA…

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Chapter 5: Compromising Situation

Abe-

"Come for a little walk, it's just a friendly chat," I told the boy who had pretended to be a caring guy in front of my face. And now I knew he was a total asshole behind my back. My little girl deserved better, much better. In fact, I didn't consider any guy in this world good enough for her. No guy. And certainly this cheap guy wasn't going to mistreat the person that was the world to me.

"Don't be scared," I said in a challenging tone, almost mocking the guy. I worked with asses all the time. I knew how to deal with them and their little games they liked to play, I knew how to cheat.

"I am not scared," he said, puffing up a bit.

"I am sure you aren't," I said, smiling.

As soon as his pace met mine, I got down to business. Business, always business with everyone, except my daughter and sometimes . . . Nadia, my second wife. "I did not like how you treated my daughter in the slightest. I ought to kill you now, but it's against my rules. I always give second chances, no matter who is playing the game. If you fail once, you fail all. And you die."

I swear the kid paled. But he was smart enough not to mouth at me. I was pretty sure if he started talking crap back at me, he wouldn't live to see the new day of tomorrow. In a matter of seconds, he changed his attitude, pulling out a cigarette, lighting it, and shrugging as if anything I had just said mattered. "I hear your words, but I do have to say your daughter looks good as my slave."

"Watch it," I growled. "Sometimes rules should be bent, if not broken. I can kill you at any given moment."

"As if I were afraid." He puffed out the smoke. "You pay people to do your dirty shit. You can't kill me by yourself."

"Just because you've seen or heard of me paying people to kill, doesn't mean I can't kill you with my own bare hands." I pulled out my pocket knife from my trench coat, turning to him and running the blade over the skin of his neck. "I can kill you with my own bare hands and I will be feeling the greatest pleasure in the world as I kill you." I put the pocket knife in my pocket. "Better be a good boy, son, and leave my daughter alone—or else you don't want to know what happens."

"And if I don't want to be careful?"

I smiled.

"You don't want to know what happens," I repeated.

Having the last word, I walked back to my house, wanting to see my daughter. It had been months since I had seen her. The only contact we would have was emails and phone calls. She was my world and every day I lived for her, for her only. And I would literally rip my heart out for her.

Walking in the front door, I half expected to find my darling Rose and Ivashkov's son in the living room, sitting in one of the couches. But they weren't. That only meant one thing. That little son of Ivashkov was in Rose's room, probably trying to take advantage of the fact that my little girl was suffering and he'd try to get a little closer to her. I didn't knock when I reached her door. But when I opened the door . . .

I let out my mocking laugh, mocking myself.

My little girl was in another compromising situation.

Rose-

I hadn't expected Adrian to kiss me. Another surprising moment caused by him. Surprises, surprises . . . what I hated the most and it was the thing I was receiving most on this _surprising_ day. Adrian took my face in his hands, and I wrapped both arms securely around his neck, trying to pull as much of him towards me, loving the taste of his lips. He leaned back a little bit, gazing into my eyes profoundly, as he gave me small little kisses all over my lips. I closed my eyes and once more devoured his lips to the fullest.

"Oh, boy. Why are you always getting into these kind of situations, Rose?"

I let go of Adrian so abruptly that I almost fell off the bed. Adrian's arms caught me before I fell off. I stared over at my dad and I could see him assessing my room, most the bed that had the rumpled sheets that was the aftermath of Adrian and I making out.

My father put a hand to his forehead. "Rose, what am I going to do with you?"

"You should have knocked on the door before entering!" I complained.

"I should have," he said, giving Adrian a hard glare. "And you shouldn't have been making out with him behind the closed door. What's the number one rule in the house?"

"'If you want to bring guys in your room, leave the door wide open.'" The words I heard from my father, say at least a million times as I grew into my teen years.

"Exactly. If you want to make out with someone, you have to do it right in my eyes."

Blankly, I gawked at my dad. Are you serious?

He let out a laugh and I let out breath. "I am just kidding, darling Rose. But if you want to do something like that again, make sure it's not in this sacred house."

"How about in a hotel room?" I asked in a matter of joking.

My father didn't seem what I had said was funny. At all. In fact, he gave Adrian a dangerous glare. "If you don't watch what you do with my little girl, I'll make sure you're added to the 'To Kill' list."

"Not to worry, Mr. Mazur," Adrian said, putting on a fake, charming smile. "Rose is so hell-bent on not having premarital sex and I have no intentions of doing _that _with her, whatsoever."

"Good boy, I am most certainly considering you for my daughter." I struggled not to laugh. I choked back laughter. My dad looked at me, not aware of my struggles on not to laugh. "Well, sweetheart, I will be in my study if you need me."

Since I was acting as a good daughter, I went up to him and hugged him. "I love you, daddy."

"I love you, too, sweetheart."

"I might go out later on tonight, if that's okay with you?"

"Yes, sweetie. Be safe, alright?"

"Of course, dad. Um, can I have some money to buy new clothes. The new season is almost here and . . ."

My dad handed me one of his unlimited credit cards. He kissed my forehead. "Have fun, okay?"

I nodded. Adrian shook my dad's hand and told him to not worry that he would take care of me. Please, my dad left to his study.

As soon as he was out of earshot, I let out a laugh. "'Rose is so hell-bent on not having premarital sex.' Whatever gave you the idea to come up with that?"

He squished me to him. "I just wanted to impress him."

"Well, you impressed him enough that he might actually consider you for me."

"I like that." A soft peck of his lips turned into a tango of our tongues.

Even though I wanted to spend the rest of the day with him, Adrian had to leave an hour after the scene with Christian and my dad. He said he would pick me up later tonight for another partying night with his friends. He told me to invite a close friend for one of his friends and I had called Marisol for that. At first she didn't really want to go, but when I told her that she might be getting a cute guy for the night. (I forgot the emphasize my point for _the night._) I did a little shopping in town. And I waited the rest of the time for my Adrian.

_My Adrian? Rose, seriously? _

God, I was turning into such a little romance freak.

When it was time for Adrian to pick me up, I was ready for the wild night. My clothing for the night was black booty shorts, a plaid shirt, worn the country girl style—tied up in the front, exposing a little cleavage and a little skin. When my dad had seen me in the shirt, he'd asked, "Where is the rest of that shirt?"

"Damn, girl. You look hot," Adrian commented when I got into his truck.

"I know."

"Damn, what do you say we head back to my place for a little while . . ."

"You little slut, keep it inside your pants once in a while."

In the seat behind us, Marisol made gagging sounds. I gave her a cheeky smile. "Hey, you. Are you ready to hook up with some guys or what?"

"No, Rose. You know I don't do that."

"After a few slipped drinks . . . you will." I winked.

"Hey, my sweet, leave my poor, innocent sister alone. She's not hooking up with anyone tonight."

"I didn't know you had such an overprotective brother. How cute and . . . sexy," I practically purred. "I think you changed my mind . . . let's go back to your place for a little while."

Adrian put his hand on my knee, bringing it up to right around my inner thigh. "Just wait, my sweet. Don't get impatient with me."

As soon as we arrived to the party, I was pretty sure Marisol would puke by all the flirting Adrian and I had done on our way here. Adrian and I walked together, Marisol by my side, as we walked towards where his friends were.

And then, out of nowhere, Adrian paused. He looked a little nervous.

"What's wrong?"

"Um . . . let's go get some beer," he said all the while staring where his friends were.

I still dragged him towards his friends. "Come on, they're waiting for you."

"No, Rose . . ."

I finally knew why Adrian didn't want to keep on walking.

"Hello, Adrian," she purred. "It's been so long, my love."

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**A little drama never hurts right? Review for the next chapter!**

**-M**


	6. And the Drama Begins

**Aww…I cried in this chapter. Poor Rose and Adrian . . . that's all I'm gonna say. Have fun reading! **

**I don't own Vampire Academy…

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**

Chapter 6: And the Drama Begins

It seemed ridiculous that I would be nervous as I made my way to My Worst Nightmare. This girl was obsessed with me. Last year she went from dating Dimitri to being obsessed with me. She would make up these ridiculous, crazy fantasies of me and her. One of them was that I told her I loved her. Perhaps I had told her that because I just wanted to fuck her—or maybe I was drunk. But she was totally psycho.

My skin chilled as the fear overtook me when I heard her shrilling voice.

"Hello, Alicia." Usually my friends and I acted as if we didn't give a shit about anything, but now we were acting as if we were kittens that had a Pit Bull in front of it. Alicia had gotten her turn at each and every one of my friends, but she had been most fascinated by. As mentioned earlier, she had made up so many untrue fantasies of her and me. "What are you doing?"

She was taken aback but I could tell she was faking. "Don't you remember: 'I'll be back in a year . . .'"

"_I'll be back in a year," she had said as she made her way to the door. Marisol looked warily at her while I eagerly awaited her departure. _

"_Aren't you gonna say goodbye, darling." _

_I pulled out a cigarette and took a little puff. "No, I _want_ you gone." _

"_Aww, don't be so mean to the woman that is carrying your baby," she said, laying her hand on her flat belly. _

"_You aren't pregnant, Alicia. We never slept together; we never had sex. I haven't so much as touched you. Quit making up all these ridicules about you and me." _

"_But Adrian, honey, you they're true. We slept together. You asked me to marry you, and to move in with you when you bought an apartment for us. You said you wanted to start a family with me." _

_It took all my self-strength not to last out at her. I was a man—a man was not supposed to put a hand on a woman by force. But Alicia was tap dancing on my last damn nerve! I put out my smoke on the ash tray as I stalked towards her. "Alicia, you're being ridiculous! None of the things you've said have happened! Ever! Are you desperate or something? I don't want you!"_

_She started crying. "Adrian, sweetheart, why are you saying these things? You do love me and we're going to get married and have a baby." _

_Behind me, I heard Marisol let out a breath of desperation—desperation because she wanted this girl out of the house! _

"_Alicia, how can I make you understand! I don't like you, don't want you, don't love you! I never said anything of those things you're saying. Now can you please go?" _

"_Don't yell, the baby's gonna get scared." _

"_You aren't fucking pregnant, you whore!" I grabbed her hand, gripping hard dragging her to the door. "Now get the hell out of my house!"_

_She put a hand on her stomach again. "It's okay, baby. Daddy is just having a little moment." _

_I didn't let her comment get to me this time. Before I slammed the door on her face, she said, "I love you. I'll be back in a year . . ." _

Alicia laughed in a way that rivaled a laugh that a witch on the kiddy movies would give. She smacked me on the arm. "Adrian! That's a very nice way to treat the love of your life!"

It took every ounce of will power I had not to barf. "No, no; you are not even remotely close to being the love of my life. I don't know whatever gave you the idea."

"A. C., baby, don't be like that. I love you and you know I love you."

"A.C." was a stupid nickname she had assigned for me when I told her that my name was Adrian Caleb.

"Look, Alicia, I don't know what's your problem but—"

She took my hand and put it on her stomach. "And don't you remember, we still have a baby growing in here."

"What the fuck! It's been a year since you've been here, how the fuck could a baby in there?"

"A.C., why are you being so difficult?" She pouted. "You know I love you, baby!"

"Adrian?" asked the voice that made the whole world better. "I need to go." I looked the down at the angel that was wearing an emotionless face. But when I gazed into her eyes, I could see her heart breaking. Not only were her eyes conveying a breaking heart, they were also conveying a message: _I've given up on love because love has given up on me. _

"Rose . . ." My feet were readying themselves to run after her as she departed but that damned Alicia put her hands on me, stopping me from going any further. I didn't see where Rose went because the crowd at her up.

"Baby, where you going!"

I pushed her off me. "I am not your fucking baby! I've never been, never will be, and never plan on being your 'baby.'" So now can you leave me the fuck alone? I am not interested in you."

"How can you do this to us?"

"Do what?"

"How can you leave me? I love you, boo! And you're leaving me!"

"Yes, I'm leaving! You and I don't have anything together! Now you can go screw a camel for all I care, but—leave—me—the—fuck—alone!" I made sure my last words were spaced out evenly for extra emphasis. "Marisol, take my truck back home, will ya? I have to find Rose."

"Yes, Adrian, find her." She looked around, mostly at the sky. "Thunder and rain are gonna hit soon, it's not safe for her to be outside in this weather."

"Go home, tell mom I'll be out late."

"Okay!"

I didn't look back to her to see if she was leaving or not.

All I knew was that I needed to find my Rose . . .

-Rose

She won.

Adrian had never been a good guy to fall for in the beginning so it should not matter, right? In the end, we would always have to party ways, right? He and I were not meant to be, right? I felt like the world was falling down on me and it wouldn't be long until I'd break. I missed my mom. She made everything better. If it were a small little paper cut, she would kiss it, and somehow I felt better. Or if I had a problem at school she would hug me and take me out for a ride.

But she was gone now.

I had to deal with the world by myself, without the help of my absent mother.

I had to deal with the whole Adrian issue by myself.

My house wasn't so far away from where Adrian's friend, Dimitri, lived so I could just run the distance. I had ditched my heels somewhere behind me. Shoes _were _something that money could replace—love was the something money _could _replace, however. I'd been lying to myself, pretending that what I felt towards Adrian was just a little attraction, but no. I had been wrong. I loved Adrian. I had crushed on him through the years and until I finally got to know him better . . . I was in love with him.

I could see my Dad's farm ahead. Running was something I did every day so I wasn't out of breath. (A/N: wish I was as athletic as Rose is in this story!) Instead of going inside in the safety of my home like a normal girl should have done, I ran to the farm. When I noticed my saddle, my boots, and the picture of me and my mother that day I had won the race the day before she died, I broke down.

"You were supposed to be here, Mom."

In response, the horse that helped me win that big race—neighed. With tears in my eyes, I walked up to her, brushing my hand through her back. "Hey, baby girl. It's been so long since I've been here. I'm sorry." Lacey looked at me with knowing eyes. Coming back here . . . it was a reminder of what I had lost; My mother. I rid myself of the world that involved my mother. "It's how you'll get your closure" a therapist had said.

But she had been wrong.

I felt this sense of closure as I looked around the barn where my mother and I used to spend the days practicing for the future races. I ran a hand over my tears. I had to be strong again. My mom wouldn't want to see me crying. She'd want to see me happy. I let the tears fall freely as I saddled up my racehorse, Lacey. It was dangerous to run out in the thunder, but it's what I needed in that moment.

As soon as she was saddled, I climbed on her back.

I hit her side with my boots to make her go out of the barn. She was as wild as the wind, running all over the prairie, while the rained poured down on us. It had been so long since anyone had taken her for a run. The feeling of being able to run was amazing, not only for her, but for me. I looked up at the sky, looking how the lighting struck . . .

. . . and the thunder roared.

Lacey neighed so loud as we neared a fence that was dark as midnight. "Lacey, baby girl, what is it?" She neighed again. And this time, she stood on her hind legs. Before I knew it, I was on the ground. "Lacey, baby! Calm down." She was going crazy. Out of control. "It's okay!"

Another booming sound.

Lacey fell.

It wasn't thunder what had hit.

A gun had been fired.

Lacey had just taken a bullet for me.

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**Inspired by a true story): **

**So what are you thinking of the story so far? Please review for the next chapter…**

**-M**


	7. Heartbroken for You

**Ahh! Got to do this quick! Thanks for reviewing and enjoy the chapter!

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Chapter 7: Heartbroken for You

I slammed on my breaks when I got to the Mazur farm. After wasting only a couple of seconds on turning off the truck, I jumped out and ran towards the house. I decided against it because I knew Rose and I knew she wouldn't go inside the house on such a night like this. She would rather be outside. Her and Marisol were so much alike. Even with everything going on, I still heard the gun shot and I still saw Rose fall.

Fuck! I knew I should have started working out when Dimitri told me he was going to start working out. If I had, I wouldn't have been as tired as I was when I ran. It was harder to run because the rain was making the ground muddy. I wish the girls that thought of me as sexy would see me now. Would they find me sexy, running through mud, almost falling in the process? Maybe.

"Lacey!" I heard my darling Rose yell out in pain.

She was hurt. Had she broken anything while falling? Was there a bone in the body that was called "lacey?" No time to worry about those things, Ivashkov! I kept on running until I saw her, crying, pain very obvious in her cries. I finally saw why she was crying. Rose lay on the ground, hugging as much as her wounded mare as her hands could grasp.

"Lacey, don't die," she whispered, obvious agony in her tone. "Don't die." Her voice broke and my heart broke for her.

I dropped down to my knees and quickly took of my jacket to cover Rose. Her mare was the most important thing right now for her, but for me, Rose was the most important thing.

"Rose, sweetheart, we got to get inside the house."

"I can't leave Lacey. She was there for me when I needed her most, now she needs me."

"We got to get her out of the rain. It's dangerous to be outside during a thunder storm."

"But Lacey, we need to get her inside. I'll stay with her here."

"I'm not gonna let ya'll die out here! You're crazy if you think so!"

With an ache in my heart, she sobbed, all the while letting the tears roll down her cheeks as she grasped her mare tightly. Automatically, I reached out and hugged her real tight. Her whole body was wet as the hard rain had poured all over her for quite a while and she was cold—that was obvious from her shivering. Not even my jacket could keep her warm anymore.

"Adrian, we have to get here inside! Now! Or she's never gonna make it!"

"Let's go inside and inform your dad so he can tell his workers to bring her in, okay?" She nodded. "Come on, we need to get you inside. Can you stand?"

"I'll try." She let out a soft yelp as she applied pressure on her left ankle. After a few failed attempts at standing, I finally picked her up in my arms and started walking as fast as I could to get her inside her house. Her Dad was waiting outside when I finally made it to the front door. He hurried my way when he saw his hurt daughter in my arms.

"What happened to her! I swear to God if you caused this I will kill you!"

"Let's get her inside" was all I said.

"Oh God, what happened?" I assumed she was Rose's step-mother since she looked a few years older than I was. There was only one reason why she would be with Abe: Money.

"Dad?"

"Yes, Rose?"

"Lacey . . . she's dying. Please you have to save her!"

"Yes, sweetie, you know I'd do anything to make you happy." He immediately got on his phone and started ordering his workers to get Lacey out of the rain.

"Help me stand, Adrian."

I softly dropped her, feet first, supporting her as she stood.

"Daddy? Is Lacey going to be okay?"

"Yes, the veterinarian is on his way out here. She's going to be okay, Rose."

"She better be." Tears fell like rain drops from her eyes. "That's the only memory I have of . . . Mom."

I saw her Dad choke up a little bit. Abe Mazur, according to my Mom had loved his wife like no other woman. And it had hit him hard when she had passed. He was barely recovering from his loss. "Yes, baby, I know." He turned to his new wife. "Nadia? Can you help Adrian take Rose to her room so she could grab a shower?"

"Come on, Rose." Despite what had just happened, Rose and her Dad talking about the previous Mrs. Mazur, Nadia was totally chill about the fact that her husband was talking about his previous love.

Rose was having a lot of trouble climbing up the stairs so I just picked her up again and carried her to her room. Her step-mother started undressing her right in front of me. "I am not gonna pretend like you and Rose haven't slept together. It hasn't been long since I was in your ears and I know how fun they can be, but I am still gonna ask you step outside the restroom, just because my husband doesn't like guys marveling over his little girl."

I kissed Rose on the lips, a little small kiss compared to the ones we were giving each other earlier. I didn't want to wait around Rose's room like a stalker so I went back downstairs to speak with her father. He needed to know that somebody was on to his daughter—somebody was trying to kill her, or at least harm her.

"Mr. Mazur?" I called out as he paced around his living room with a glass of whiskey in his hands.

"I need you to tell me what happened?"

"Rose and I were at a party. A girl that has been infatuated with me started making up all this crap 'bout me and her. Like all girls, Rose became upset, left the party, and came here. I got her in time just to hear a gunshot and see her mare fall."

Abe paled, going from a mild tan to a white sheet of paper in seconds. "Somebody is trying to hurt my daughter! They will regret this!"

"My guess is on Christian . . ."

"Mine is too, but your guess is as good as mine. I'll have to have another chat with him, this time to discuss his death."

It was me who paled this time. If I were ever to marry, Rose—I'd have a crazy, badass father-in-law. Abe continued to pace as he thought up things to do with Christian. Hell, I would have been that quiet if I was planning to kill someone I that had hurt someone I loved. The veterinarian came inside the house, telling Abe that Lacey was okay; she just needed some time to heal.

"Adrian?" I heard a soft voice call out. I looked up to see Nadia descending the stairs.

"Yeah?"

"Rose calls for you."

"Dear, you're all soaked, would you like some clean, fresh clothes?" I didn't know if she was trying to act nice or if she was really nice.

"Please," I said, looking down at my sopping clothes.

She hurried back upstairs. A few minutes later she came back down with a pair of fresh clothes from Rose's dad. I excused myself to the restroom as I slipped on the clothes. And finally, I went to go look for my darling Rose. When I entered her room, she was already in bed, hair curled because of the shower she had just taken.

"Feeling better?"

"Yes I am, just worried about my Lacey."

"The vet came in earlier. Lacey's fine, just needs to heal herself with rest."

She let out a breath. The world had been lifted from her shoulders. Shyly, she tapped the side of her bed, pulling back her cover so I could join her. She laughed quietly when she noticed what I was wearing. Her laugh lifted the world of my shoulders.

"What are you wearing?"

"Don't I look good?"

"You look gorgeous, but it's kind of awkward you wearing my Dad's clothes."

"Do you prefer I take it all off? 'Cause I can do whatever makes the lady happy."

"Make yourself comfortable" was all she said.

"Your word I must obey," I said, taking off my shirt. I finally slipped into bed with her. She hugged my chest and I laid my head down on her shoulder.

She chuckled softly. And in a matter of seconds, she was out.

Well, my beautiful angel was sure something.

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**REVIEW! Thank you!**

**-M  
**


	8. You Are Next

**Sorry for not updating yesterday. Didn't feel like writing! Have fun reading! **

**I don't own Vampire Academy

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Chapter 8: You Are Next

Rose was still wrapped up in my arm when I woke up, except she was awake now. All her curtains were closed up and so I couldn't really tell if it was morning or sunshine. I clicked the side button of her phone to check the time. It was three in the morning. _Way _too early to wake up—this time was the time I fell asleep after partying ever day.

"You sleep a lot," she complained, turning on the lamp as soon as she noticed I was fully awake; I was a little groggy, but definitely awake.

"It's three in the morning, sane people should be sleeping."

"I'm not sane. But neither are you."

"I've never met a creepier person that wakes up at three in the morning."

"That's a very nice compliment," she said, her voice implying otherwise. "This is the time I wake up for my midnight snack."

"Midnight snack?"

"Yes, please do tell me you have a time for your midnight snack?"

"It's way past midnight," I pointed out.

"I don't really care whatever the hell you want to call it," she said, throwing the covers off herself and slipping on her ridiculous, oversized monkey slippers that didn't match the skimpiness of her lacey pajamas. I had to admit, she looked cute. She started her way to the door and turned back, raising an eyebrow. "Are you going to join me or not?"

"Do you want me to?"

"I don't care! My stomach is growling." She got tired of waiting for me and started her way down the hallway. Everything was dark as we quietly went down the stairs, which was only likely since it was three in the morning! I should have been sleeping right now, but no; the lady wanted me to follow her.

"I hate this midnight feeling, when everything is so quiet," she said shuddering. "I feel like something's going to jump out and eat me."

"Don't worry now, babe; I'm here to protect you."

"Aww, thanks. But who's going to protect you?"

"From?"

"My dad. He can pop out of nowhere and come at you like a thousand hyenas from hell." I stopped descending the stairs. My expression was enough to send minute tremors throughout her body, as if she was choking back laughter. "No need to be scared, Adrian-boo," she said as she choked on laughter.

"Shut it, darling. It's not polite to laugh at other people."

"I'm sorry for being rude as so. How can I make it up to you?"

"A little kiss might be nice . . ."

She shook her head. "No, my dad could be watching." We started descending the stairs once more. "Honestly, I know my dad loves me, but he needs to trust me. I'm not a little girl, anymore. I know what the fuck I'm doing now."

"For some reason, my mother and your father are alike. If ever my parents would get divorced, my mom and your mom would make the perfect couple."

"I don't think so. For one, your mother isn't a killer. And two, you'll miss your mother worrying about you all the time." Rose gazed at me with sad eyes. "I miss that from my mother. Y9u don't think you'll miss something until it's gone."

I could see the wetness pool in her eyes, and I could see her struggling to hold back the tears. It tore my heart. "You okay, sweetheart?" She closed her eyes, fighting with that internal battle of tears. "Come here." I put both of my strong hands around her fragile form.

"Yeah, I'm alright."

"If you need anyone to talk to, you know I'm here," I said sincerely.

"Thanks." Rose reached around me to turn on the lights and everything alit. This family seriously had money. Our Dad's profits were more or less the same. "Everything needs a little light." Rose stared searching around her kitchen, opening and closing doors to cabinets and closing and opening drawers. "Do you want anything?" she asked at random while still looking for something to snack on.

"You."

She stopped in her searching and gave me a wink. "Come and get me." I began to get off the stool but she held up a finger. "But wait, I need something in my stomach or else you'll see the bitchy side of me, which is majorly unattractive."

"Don't worry. I'll like it when my girls get a little rough."

"Girls?" Rose asked, some venom in her voice. "I'm supposed to be the only _girl_—wait, I _am _the only _girl _in your life." She opened a bag of chips and shoved a couple in her mouth before speaking. "Which brings us back to that Alicia girl, the only reason my Lacey-bear was hurt!"

"Alicia . . . she's nothing. She was just a girl I slept with a long time ago." I watched as she pondered my words. Honesty was the best thing in a relationship. She put back the chips and out of the same cabinet pulled out a box of instant pasta. She put all the ingredients in a pan and came to sit next to me. "There is no need to worry about her. You have my heart only, babe," I said, teasing her.

Rose rolled her eyes. "It's cool. Actually, I do remember Marisol once telling me about a psycho girlfriend you once had."

"Does Marisol tell you everything I do?"

"Nope. She only tells me the things I _want _to know. So you better be careful with what you do now because I've another pair of eyes keeping tabs on you."

"I'll remember to be careful," I said, giving her a wink.

I could tell I had hit a wrong nerve when she stood up and went to check her pasta. When she came back, it was with a huge plate filled with creamy pasta that made my mouth water. She probably wasn't up to much conversation because she was keeping quiet. Or maybe she had a lot on her mind.

"Orgasm," she whispered as she took a bite of her pasta.

Laughing, I said, "I thought only I could cause those."

"There are lots of things that can—" she paused and gave me a weird look. "We had sex?"

"Yes," I said after a few awkward seconds. "Yes, we did. After you broke up with Christian, you came home with me. A fun night, I must say."

"You aren't shitting me, are you? We really did have sex?"

"Yes! Do you not remember?" I was getting a little crazy.

"Of course, I remember." She laughed. "You can be fooled easily," she teased. She gave me a spoonful of her pasta. "Bite."

"Where?" I asked a little boldly, taking the bite of pasta.

I saw her smile but I could tell her mind was elsewhere. I took her hand. "Express your thoughts."

"I miss her."

"Who?"

"My mother. Yes, Nadia is very nice. But no one can replace you real mother. Yesterday, when I took Lacey for a ride, I realized just how much riding brings me the peace I have been craving ever since my mom . . . you know."

"Well, why don't you start riding again? There some new races starting up next week, why don't you enter in the competition?"

"I don't know. I am not ready yet—"

She broke off when we heard glass break. We both jumped up, looking around the kitchen. I pulled her close because I was the only person in the moment that could save her if anything danger decided to come near her. I could running down the stairs and alarms going off. Abe and Nadia were downstairs in a matter of seconds.

"What happened?" Nadia asked.

"I don't know!"

"Look!" Rose yelled out and ran off to where a kitchen window had broken. There was a rock that had broken the kitchen window. There was a note attached to it. I saw Rose pick up, looking around as if it were a dangerous weapon. She read the note. It was only three words long:

_You are next.

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_

**Ooh! Please review! **


	9. Dangerous Happenings

**This is a fill-in chapter. I couldn't go another day without updating. And besides, you need a break from all the drama that this story has. Again, I love all the reviews you guys submit! They make my day! So I hope you like(:**

**I don't own VA…

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Chapter 9: Dangerous Happenings

In all honesty, who wanted to kill me?

For the first time in my life, I felt scared. I had never felt like this, not even when Christian was mistreating me. Christian. He had to be behind this. He wanted to hurt Lacey because he knew it would hurt me since she was an important factor in my life. And now, the note made some sense—_You are next. _The note hadn't been addressed to me.

It had been meant for Adrian.

Because the person that was doing this, and I had a strong gut-feeling that Christian was behind this—wasn't trying to kill me; the person was trying to make me suffer by hurting my loved ones for some reason that was unknown to me. I was paralyzed in terror, terrified over the fact that someone was out there to hurt the people that meant most to me in this life.

The house phone's screen lit up green, signaling a call. The ring roared throughout my ears. No one could move a muscle—at least not me, that is. The first one who controlled oneself was Nadia. It was an ominous sound as the phone rang.

"Who is it?" I asked Nadia as she lifted the phone and looked at the caller I.D.

"Adrian's father . . . ." Everyone looked at her, waiting to what she had to say.

"What happened?" Both Adrian and I yelled. "Nathan says that he went out for a smoke when a mysterious car drove up the farm and started shooting at the house."

"Was anyone hurt?" My father asked, making his way to where Nadia stood with a troubled look. My dad had been very thankful with the Ivashkov family when they took me under their wing when my mother had died so it was obvious that their well-being was a concern of his.

"No, thank God. Nathan was in a safe place. And thankfully Marisol and Daniella were out doing some shopping or else something bad would have happened."

Adrian let out a breath, relieving his tense muscles.

"We need to get out of this town," My father said assessing the broken window before turning to gaze at his family and Adrian. "We don't know what's become of this God-forsaken town."

"We can't leave." If leaving meant not being able to be with Adrian—I rather die than be without him.

"I can't risk the safety of my family. You are my family, and I can't risk your safety."

I didn't _want _to argue with my father, but sometimes I had to. "Dad, if we leave, whatever—whoever—is hunting us is going to become irritated and it's going to be worse next time around." I held up the three-word letter and showed him. "The least we want to do is infuriate the person more."

"The town is too dangerous to keep the ones I love in. All I need is for you to be safe. And if safety is going away, then so be it. We go away from here."

"But I don't want to go!"

"I can't leave you here." He raged. "You're my daughter, my responsibility to care after you until you become an adult and even then—I'll still be looking after you." The last part of his speech was tacked on. He knew I had just turned eighteen and he knew I would come at him with something about my being an adult and whatnot. "And tell me, why would you want to stay here, anyway?"

"All the memories I have of my mother are here. I can't leave this town without feeling like I am leaving behind my mother! I need to stay here!" I was practically crying now.

"We're leaving, Rose."

"I am not going with you! I can't leave my mother behind . . ."

"Here is the truth! Your mother is dead! She can't know you're leaving her behind!"

My gaze was filled with an explosion of feelings. "You never cared about my mother, did you!" I demanded. "Yet you care about a woman that just uses you for your money. Where does Nadia spend her days—spending your money. My mother? Where did she spend her days? With her daughter and being faithful to her husband. And you can't even appreciate the great things she did, can you?"

"Rose," My father, on his face looked as if he didn't care, but in his eyes, it had hurt him as I had said those words to him. "I'm sorry. Just understand I want you safe."

Nadia smiled sadly. "I know I can never replace your mother, Rose, and I am not going to try because I know a real mother could never be replaced. But I want you to know that I am here for you." I hugged Nadia. Nadia was more like an older sister than a mother. "I'm sorry for talking shit about you, Nadia."

"Rose, I understand. Just know I'm here for ya, girl."

"Thanks."

"The reason you want to stay—is it because you and Adrian are dating?" My father asked, putting his suspicious look on Adrian and me.

The answers Adrian and I gave were completely different. I said "No, we aren't dating." And Adrian said "We're aren't there yet." To my astonishment, my Father chuckled. "Alright, Rose, we'll stay. But not in this house, no, too dangerous. I'll buy another estate on the other side of town."

I know his word this time was final. I couldn't argue. It was better than leaving, right?

"Okay, Dad," I finally said.

"Okay. I'll have to call backup. Adrian, why don't you call your parents? They can come and stay here for the night until we can reach a better protected ward."

"I'll do as asked." I followed Adrian out into the living room. He started asking a bunch of questions when his mother answered. He kept asking if "Dad was really alright." When his mother finally convinced him that Nathan was really alright, he told her Abe's request. As soon as he was finished on the phone, I went and sat down on the cream couch and patted my lap so Adrian could rest his head on.

"You're brave, you know," I said as I ran my hand through his spiky hair.

"Yeah? Why?"

"Yes. I would have been freaking out if anything like what happened at your house happened to my Dad."

"Rose," he chuckled, "I am freaking out."

"Oh. Well you sure know how to keep your emotions in check."

Everything was quiet. The only noise was the wood crackling in the fireplace and the murmurs of Nadia and Dad in the kitchen. He caught my hand as it made another round caressing his face and pressed it to his lips. Closing his eyes, he smiled. In less than thirty minutes, his breathing slowed and I felt his muscles relax. Poor boy. He had had a rough day.

"Aww, you slept my little boy," Daniella said as she entered the living room.

I gave a soft giggle. "Little boy?"

"Yes," Daniella leaned down and kissed Adrian's forehead. "This is my little boy."

As soon as she was out of sight, I leaned down and kiss Adrian's lips. Unexpectedly, I found myself under him and kissing him.

"You were asleep," I pointed out letting go of his lips.

"Nah, it was just a little power nap."

"Okay, enough of the kissing. My Dad is just a few steps away. You don't know . . ."

He wouldn't remove his lips from mine. Not that I minded but . . .

"Adrian!"

"Sorry, babe." He gave me one more kiss and sat me down beside him. "But you know I love you."

Those words caused my heart to feel like it was about to burst out of my chest and hit him in the face.

"I care about you, too." I finally said.

"Well, I can work with that." He kissed me yet again.

* * *

**I love writing about these little sweet, Adrian/Rose moments! I hope you like reading them as much as I love writing these scenes! **

**Hmm . . . I've been thinking to change the title of the story because it doesn't really go with the storyline. What do you think I should change it to?**

**1. Crazy Ride of Life **

**2. This Crazy Thing Called Life **

**3. Bottle Up Lightning **

**4. Leave the title as it is**

**5. Do you have any suggestions? **

**Please review! **

**Love ya'll**

**-M**


	10. The Other Side of Town

**OMG! TODAY WAS THE MOST AMAZING DAY OF MY LIFE! So my Physical Education coach has a nephew that plays in the major leagues of baseball and I got to hug him today! His name is Jason Donald and he is soooo gorgeous! When I was hugging him, I felt like passing out, and I could feel his strong muscles around me. I seriously was seconds away from fainting. And I also I got his autograph! Most amazing day of this year of my life! Anyways, back to the story. I really, really enjoy writing this story because its Adrian/Rose, duh! But I've been really busy lately and when I had finally time to write…the power went out! Haha. Life is so amazing isn't it? And then while I was busy with school work, I decided to call my story "Hello World." Well, I hope you enjoy the chapter. Thanks so much for reviewing. You know how much I love reading those reviews! Enjoy(:**

**I don't own VA!

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**

Chapter 10: On The Other Side of Town

My freaking father woke me up extremely early so we could help around the Mazur farm. I had only gotten three hours of sleep. I did not function properly when my eight hours—at least—of sleep were not slept. Today I would most likely be a huge ass to all.

Mr. Mazur, Rose's father scared me shitless but on some rare occasions, I thought he was a God.

"Nathan, please you're a guest here." Abe said when he saw my father readying himself for the day ahead.

"Want some coffee, dear?" Nadia's soft voice asked while she sat on the table, holding a coffee mug in between her hands. Until I was a parent myself, I would never understand how parents woke up so early and still functioned properly. Right now, I was not feeling alive in any way, shape or form.

"No, thank, Nadia." If I drank coffee I would most likely fall asleep faster. Me and coffee don't mixed. But alcohol and I—we were best friends.

"Baby, go back to sleep. Your dad is a little out of it this morning."

"Yes, Adrian son. Go back to bed. Go cuddle with Rose. Do as you may, but don't get crazy because us parents are downstairs and in this house, you can hear _everything_," Abe joked.

I had to let out a laugh when I saw my mother and father give Abe looks of disbelief. My parents were so hell-bent on not having sex before marriage. That's why they kept close tabs on Marisol and I, but little did they know that their son was a little party boy, who slept around and that their little daughter might well be on her way to becoming the same as the "little boy."

"Nathan, Daniella, I am sorry to be the one who opens your eyes, but your son isn't three years old anymore, where you could tell him what to do—and even then, I am pretty sure he didn't listen. But your son is twenty-one years old. He knows what he's doing. And he knows that if something happens, he has to deal with it. Rose is three years younger, and I tell her the same things. You got to learn how to trust your son."

"We do." They both said in unison.

"Wake me up in ten hours," I called out as I made my way back to the living room where the couch I had slept on was located. Instead of going all the way to the living room, I made a detour to Rose's room. The hasty sleeping arrangements Nadia had thought up last night ended with Rose and Marisol sharing rooms and me sleeping on the couch, while the rest of the couples slept perfectly fine on fancy beds. Rose was a small lump on the side of the bed as three layers of blankets and sheets covered her. Marisol was the one who was sprawled out, blankets tossed to the side.

I thought up of something quick to kick Marisol out of the room. I shook her, almost making her fall off the bed.

"What?" She looked up at me with alert eyes. One thing I liked about my sister—she was a light sleeper.

"Mom said you could go sleep on her bed."

She looked around the room as she stretched. "Liar. You only want to sleep with Rose."

"So what?" I grinned right in her face. "I know what you did with Brian."

She turned beet red. "Oh, God, Adrian. How do you know?"

"There are no secrets in the group" was all I said.

"They say men don't gossip, but I just know they gossip as much—or maybe more—as women."

"Leave now. And nobody will know your terrible secret." Secret being—Brian and Marisol were secretly dating, but they kept it a secret because my parents didn't approve of Brian in any way. And Brian's appearance made my parents like him even less, with all those tattoos he had all over his body.

"Go now and nobody will know your secret. Or you can stay and cuddle with Rose and me."

"Ass," she said, sticking out her tongue as she walked out the room.

"Your words are kind," I said, closing the door on her.

Turning back around, I sauntered to where Rose lay. Her matted hair was overlaying her forehead. Slipping into bed with her, I eased some of the hair out of her face. Rose's hair felt like silk, sliding through my fingers. I could feel her start to stir and I reached out to bring her closer to my chest.

"What are you doing here?" Rose asked, without opening her eyes. "Sane people should be sleeping." She repeated the words I had said to her earlier today.

"You know how much I love invading your bed. And I'm not sane. But neither are you." I teased.

"Shut up and let me sleep."

"You're awfully moody on this morning."

"If you don't shut up right now I will shoot you in the face." She finally opened her eyes and laughed. "I am not sane when I don't sleep. Now shut up and let me sleep. We can play later on."

"Play?" I asked, while slipping my hands under shirt.

"Hands off, Ivashkov. Trying to sleep. Besides I thought you were going to accompany me to the race placing test."

"Oh, that's right. Let's sleep then." It took me a couple minutes to fall sleep but I finally had me some sleep.

When I woke up, it was see Rose getting out of the shower. Her tanned, shaved legs were glistening with the water drops that slid down her legs. Her brown hair was damp and stuck to face and shoulders. Rose looked like she had just gotten out of a Play Boy magazine, only sexier.

"Thanks for the show." She tossed a pillow at me and I grunted. This girl hit hard.

Rose made me go shower and dress because she wanted me to accompany me to her racing meet. Rose looked gorgeous in her jockey outfit; A black coat, khaki pants, tucked in black riding boots. Abe's worker, Steve, helped me hitch up Rose's horse trailer to my truck and we rode off.

As soon as we got there, Rose was treated with hugs and kisses.

"Rose, amor mio, we have missed you!" An Italian guy called out as soon as Rose made her way to where the stalls for the horses were located.

"Lucio! I missed you too."

"Are you here to race again?"

"Yes, I've been missing it too much."

"Good, good. The track has been missing you as well. And without you, the ladies don't really have any competition."

"Of course, since I'm the best and all. . . ."

He raised an eyebrow. "I wouldn't be so sure, amor mio. The competition is going to be rough. Rough."

"I'm the best and you know it."

"Well, good luck beating_ her_."

Rose and I both looked at the precise moment Alicia gave her psychotic laugh.

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**Alicia just makes my skin crawl. Again, sorry for not updating sooner. I hoped you liked! And please review! And what do you think about the title "Hello World?" It's a tie between "This Crazy Thing Called Life" or "Hello World." **

**Please review!**

**-M **


	11. A Little Close to Love

**Aww, I liked writing this chapter for some reason! Hmm, enjoy(:**

**I don't own VA…**

Chapter 11: A Little Close to Love

I stared a couple extra seconds at Alicia and she caught me looking. She half waved at me, throwing in an unnecessarily large smile. Trying not to be rude, I shook my hand a little in a wave, and let one of the corners of my mouth turn up. Alicia was pretty, real pretty. A lot prettier than me. She had pale, pale-blonde, curly hair, veiling down to her mid-waist; eyes the color of faded jeans, and the longest legs ever. She looked like an angel dropped from heaven, but she was anything but.

"I will not waste your time no longer, Rose. I have duties to tend to, as well as you do," Lucio said, giving my shoulder a pat and walking off to talk to Matayla, another rider.

As soon as Lucio was out of sight, I traded my riding boots for some rubber boots. Adrian helped me settle my mare into the stall that my dad had purchased a few years back when I raced my first barrel race. I wasn't surprised that the stall was clean; my mother had made me clean it out before I was allowed to go home. Mothers know best. I pulled out a comb and started brushing Lacey's back, soothing her.

"She looks all settled in."

The hand that was brushing my mare's back stopped—all my muscles stopped. This voice was a voice I hadn't heard of since three years ago, three years ago when the only guy I had ever loved, truly loved, more than I had loved Christian—cheated on me with my ex-best friend. I looked to my right and met the light brown eyes of Paisley Bradson.

"Yes, she is," I said smiling absently at Lacey.

Paisley struggled not to let the shock show on her face. Last year she couldn't get a word out of me, for no reason. And today, she was finally getting not only one word, but three words.

"How is. . .Zack?" I didn't like saying her son's name because his name was exactly like his fathers.

"He's in his Terrible Two's. Remember how we used to say we always wanted girls if we ever had kids?"

"Right, I remember," I said.

"Well, if you do ever have kids, please make sure they're girls."

"Why?"

She was happy to talk about anything—anything—as long as I kept talking to her.

"Because boys are crazy."

"Oh I knew that already," I said, laughing.

"I wouldn't trade a day of dealing with my Zack for all those nights I missed from sixteen to eighteen. I love my son. I only wish his father would think the same."

"You aren't with Zack anymore?" I was taken by surprise. Zack and I had been going out ever since I was twelve, and he thirteen. As the years went by, Zack and I made plans of marrying one another and having three children: Two boys and one girl; Zack, Jake, and Annie. But one day, at a party, he met my co-racer, Paisley. They were both drunk and had slept together. I hadn't known anything about it until Paisley came to me, crying, telling me she was having Zack's baby. And Paisley had been only sixteen when she had gotten pregnant.

"No. Zack. . .changed. He's not the sweet Zack we used to know. I can count on one hand the times he's been there for my son and me." Her eyes wandered off, to her hands that were twisting and turning. "And I regret it all. I regret losing your friendship for a night a pleasure. I am sorry, Rose."

I opened the little gate to Lacey's stall and reached out and pulled Paisley into a hug. "It's alright. It's been three years since it's happened; I barely think of it anymore. There is a reason why he didn't make it into my future, right? And there is also a reason why he didn't make it into yours."

"Rose, I've missed you so much. You were the only friend I truly cared about . . ."

I wanted to say "well, you obviously cared about me enough to get at my boyfriend" but it would only make her feel worse when I only was trying to make her feel better.

"The past is the past. It happened three years ago. And we need to move on, okay, Paisley?"

"Okay, Rose."

"Promise you'll forget about it?"

"Promise." She wiped her eyes with the corner of her shirt. It was totally gross but that's what you did when you didn't have a tissue. Well, that's what I did. (Yeah, I've been told I'm gross.) She looked down at my lover, lounging on a piece of hay. "Is that you're boyfriend?"

"Um," I said, looking down at Adrian. I didn't really know what he was. Seriously, we had only slept with each other once, he said he loved me twice, and we had not parted ever since last week. What was he? My boyfriend? No, too soon for that. My date? Maybe. My lover? Possibly.

"Paisley Bradson?" Adrian asked, shaking her hand and after tossing a hand over my shoulders. "Paul Bradson's sister, right?"

"Yes, how did you . . ." She smiled. "Oh! Your Paul's friend, right?"

"Yes, one of my favorite homeboys."

Paisley looked at Adrian's hand over my shoulders. "So are you dating?"

"Umm . . ." There was that hesitation again from me. "We're friends . . ."

"Friends that sometimes wake up naked together in bed?" Paisley teasingly asked.

"That's right," Adrian said, shooting me a wink.

"Aww, I love it when friends reunite," the psycho bitch said clapping. "It makes me so emotional." She turned to Adrian. "And I just love _you, _Adrian. You make me so in love."

I tensed, Adrian tensed, and even Paisley tensed.

"Look at her! She's so beautiful! I love her white coat of fur. Lacey is very beautiful. Just like her owner."

"Thank you?" I asked, giving her a weird look. "Can I help you with something?"

"Actually, yes." She reached into her back pocket and pulled out three black envelopes. "I came to invite all three of you to my party later on. Well, not _my _party. My dad's getting engaged and, of course, he has to host a party. But I asked if you could invite some of my good friends, and he said yes! So therefore I am inviting you!"

Did she even take a breath between her words?

"Friends? I've only know you for a day. No, not even. Like three hours." Paisley said.

"Thanks for the invite," I put in nicely.

"I so would be very honored if you and Adrian could make it! And you too, Paisley!"

"Okay, I'll see if I could make it."

"But there is catch. You have to wear _all _black! I mean, seriously, why couldn't my step-mother add a little color to it, pink would have been good. Yellow, perhaps. Green, much better." She sighed. "When I get engaged, I will make sure there is a lot of color in my engagement party."

"Good to know, Alicia," Adrian said, sarcastically.

"Oh, Adrian! I want _you _to be there! I just love watching you."

"I'm just gonna walk away. . ." And he did.

"Thank you for inviting us. We will defiantly be attending now." Not.

"No, thank _you, _Rose."

She kept on talking and talking, dragging out her speeches with unnecessary detail and random thoughts. I almost kissed Lucio when he told us the racing qualifications would be starting soon. Adrian came back and helped me put the saddle on Lacey. I could have done it myself, but having Adrian helping me was great. As I changed into my uniform, Adrian kept a lookout for passing people. Occasionally, he would steal a little peak. He helped me by tying a scarf to my neck, and tying one on Lacey's neck. He stole a little peck from my lips. I mounted my horse at the exit of the stables. Adrian patted my thigh and wished me luck as he went to sit on the bleachers close by.

-Adrian

Rose had looked marvelous as she strode on her horse across the dirt track, her dark hair waving behind as she rode. She came in first, Paisley second, Alicia third, and they were qualified for the big race. As soon as she dismounted her horse in the stalls, I had grabbed her and kissed her. I could feel she wanted more of me so I took her to my parent's house, where I knew we could be alone for a while . . .

And now, I was taking her home so she could get ready for Alicia's party. We hadn't wanted to go; our parents were _making _us go, since they were such good friends with Alicia's parents.

"You're quiet," I commented as Rose assessed herself in her makeup mirror.

"Just tired," she admitted.

"Why is it after we have sex, you act so innocent, but while we're having sex . . ." My voice trailed off with a suggestive tone.

She snorted. "It's not a crime being loud while having sex."

"No, no it wouldn't, Miss Hathaway, would it? You are the perfect example of that."

"Can I ask a question?" With her hands, she made a signal that proceeded me to ask. "Why are 'Hathaway' and not 'Mazur?'"

"My mother wanted her baby to have her last name, rather than my dad's last name. And also because it was the only way she would inherit her fortune."

"So. . .will the same rules be applied to you?"

"My mother stated in her will—I could pretty much do whatever I want."

All was silent after. When we arrived home, she told her father and Nadia that she had qualified for the big race next month. Her father had made her a deal. If she won the race, he would throw her a party, the way she wanted it, in the place she wanted to host it most: Las Vegas. Knowing her dad, whether she lost or won, the party would still be down. She hugged and kissed both Nadia and went upstairs. I followed. We snuggled in her bed and we both fell asleep . . .

"How do I look?" It was Rose's cliché line. She always asked how she looked.

"Hot, as always." And she did look hot, wearing a dress with a high neck that went to her knees. It covered everything in front, but in the back, you had to ask "where is the rest of that dress?"

"Now, how do I look?"

"Sexy. . .as always." _Sexy _was Rose's word.

"Kids!" My mother banged on Rose's door. "We are going to be late."

God.

Rose and I descended the stairs and her father asked exactly what I had been thinking earlier.

"Where is the rest of that dress?"

"Freakish. I asked myself the same thing." Rose said sarcastically to her father.

The party. . . I regretted going as soon as I walked inside the door. I would have rather wasted away the night with Rose under the covers, with as little clothing as possible. I could see Rose struggling to keep her eyes open as we ate dinner. I leaned a little closer to her and asked, "Want to go somewhere else?"

"Like?"

"Like your house?"

"Mmm . . . sounds good."

I was thankful I had brought my truck with me. She came at me as soon as we were behind her bedroom doors. But before we could go to the point where the clothes came off, I had to ask her something.

"Rose boo-boo?"

"What the hell have you been smoking?"

I chuckled and then was serious again. "Rose?"

"What?"

"Will you be my girlfriend?"

Never in my life had I asked any girl that question, but now I watched as her eyes turned wide as I waited for her answer . . .

**God, I so wish Adrian would ask me those words! How about you? So what'd you think? **

**My mind is so blank right now. Can't think of anything to say . ..**

**Review as you wish!**

**-M **


	12. The Little Blue Box

**I am half-asleep so sorry for all the mistakes or if it's boring. But I just got this desire to just write so I did. It's just a fill-in chapter. Hope you like(: **

Chapter 12: The Little Blue Box

Rose-

I was loving the way Adrian's lips felt on my skin and lips, when all of a sudden I heard, "Do you want to be my girlfriend?" The reasonable answer was to say "no" because my being recently broken up with a man who treated me worse than you would treat your dirty socks. My mouth hung open; I snapped it shut; my eyes still bore into those green jewels.

"Surprised, Hathaway?"

"Quite so, actually."

"Care to tell as to why you are?"

"Because it's you!" Oh, yeah, Rose. That explains everything.

"Obviously," he said, making it clear with his eyes that he was laughing at me.

"It's you; you're a guy that . . ." My response falter; I wasn't sure on how to finish.

"That what?" he asked, setting those green jewels on my profile, waiting for me to answer.

"You're a guy, who is supposed to have fun, and not worry about love—or caring about anyone." I couldn't find words to express the mess of thoughts rummaging through my head.

He placed his hand over mine where they rested on my lap. I couldn't look into his jewel-like eyes as they begged for my stare; the blue, chipped nail polish on my fingernails were suddenly the most interesting in the world. "Believe me, that's exactly what I thought of life—that is until you came along and changed my whole view point of life."

"But—"

"But nothing, Rose. I like you—a lot. . .to the point of loving you."

It echoed throughout the house, but the silence continued.

"Yes." I finally said.

"Yes what?" he asked close to a smile.

I smiled the smile he wouldn't smile. "God, yes, I'll be your girlfriend."

A breath, he let out and smiled. "Now we can have fun . . ."

My devious laugh as he took my in his arms was all you heard.

Adrian-

From the moment she said "yes" my life changed. I was new to the whole dating issue, and I didn't have the slightest clue how relationships went. But I was learning. Rose had been in two previous relationships, but she said this relationship was as new to her as it was to her. For one, this time when she loved—the love was returned. My friends— Brian, Paul, Richard, Dimitri had raised hell. My bravery of being in a relationship, inspired my friends to get into relationships themselves. Brian was the most courageous of my friends—he was dating my sister Marisol, despite what his and my parents thought of that relationship.

I hadn't known my bravery could lead me to three months into a relationship with the person I loved most in this world.

Since Rose and I had only been dating three months, her dad didn't let her move in with me—in my own place in town—when I asked her to. Instead, a drawer of my things were at her place, without Abe's consent. I looked to me as if this relationship could lead into something more, more than just the simple making love crap. I was talking about. . .the big M. Marriage. I wanted to take that chance with Rose and just drop down on my knee and ask her to be my wife, but I knew Rose wouldn't take the chance. She had proved as so when I subtly asked her if she was ready for the future with me. "When the time comes, we'll know" was all she had said. I hadn't known what she meant, but I supposed it was something about tying the knot . . .

And honestly, I knew where she was coming from. Perhaps waiting was better . . .

I only wished I had been around to give my sister that advice as she was now having a shot-gun wedding with my friend Brian because she was—wait for it—pregnant. Yes, the girl who didn't believe in premarital sex was pregnant. At first, my parents had freaked out. But then Brian came over one night, and spoke to my parents as an adult and said he would take full responsibility of his child and future wife. Then, the excitement hit for my parents: They were going to be grandparents!

Of course, that made Rose's dad a little freaked out. He didn't want his baby girl becoming pregnant any time soon. He made quite a show in telling me—in a very polite way, what he would do if I got Rose pregnant while she was eighteen...

"My dad doesn't let me move in with you, yet he lets you sleepover anytime you want. Wonder what's up with that?" Rose asked, setting her cold hand on my warm chest.

"I don't know how your Dad works sometimes. One day he's nice, the next he's a Mob." I shuddered, recalling the "little walk and chat" we had some weeks ago, about Rose ever bearing children at this age.

"I know about your 'little chat,'" Rose said, reading my thoughts. Of course she would know. Abe told Nadia everything, and Nadia and Rose had a good bond. "I don't know why he would freak out much. I mean, if it happens, then it happens." Out of nowhere, she added, "Don't get any ideas or anything. I still want to be the baby of the family."

Naturally, she would say something like that. I had to smile as I pulled her atop my chest. "You just gave me the best ideas, Hathaway. . ." My lips grazed across the skin of her neck and on her cleavage.

"Ivashkov, no time. We have a wedding today remember."

"A ten minute quickie won't kill anybody. . ."

"Ivashkov, you know ten minutes don't satisfy me." As she stood, she threw off the sheets of my body. She was hoping to get me off the bed. Instead, she stared at my nakedness. I raised an eyebrow as I caught her looking. She turned beat red. "I'm going to shower."

"My lovely Hathaway, I shall help you." I followed her as she entered her oversized shower.

"Sure thing, Ivashkov. Today in the shower is strictly business, no playing around."

"I take pleasure in doing business with you, ma'am," I said, turning on my country boy accent.

"God, don't call me 'ma'am.' It makes me feel old."

"Face it, Hathaway. The age is getting to you."

"Says the man that's gonna turn twenty-two, in three weeks." She shot back with a sarcastic grin on her face. She walked back outside to look for clothes and I followed. "You've been slacking on your attire lately," she said, dropping the age subject, heading right where my drawer of things was located, the drawer I didn't want her snooping around because. . .

"Adrian, what is this?" Rose asked, demanded, holding a little blue box with a white bow tied around the top.

Oh, dear God. She'd found the thing I hadn't wanted her to find: The three carat engagement ring from Tiffany's & Co.

**OOH! Poor Ivashkov. He's in swimming with cows. Haha. I just love Adrian. Hope you do too!**

**Mm…what shall happen next my lovelies? **

**Please review**

**-M **


	13. Sparking Love

**Please excuse my non-updating soon but my time has been occupied by school assignments and reading Fallen by Lauren Kate **_**and **_**passing the damned Geometry Test. (Geometry is like the number one thing I fear most in life.) I must say, quite an amazing book! Gonna finish it tonight…so don't spoil it for me. Don't know whether I am Team Cam or Team Daniel…help anyone? So I did some thinking with this story, and I decided that I wanted this story to match what it's called. So if things go the way you don't want it to go, what can I say other than its "This Crazy Thing Called Life." Don't hate me if it turns out not to be the way you want it to turn out. Also, I have a twitter account…the link is on my profile…if you want to follow me(: And I bought the "Speak Now" CD by Taylor Swift and it's great! I love track #3. It's sooo cute 'cause she dedicates it to wolf, lover-boy, Taylor Lautner. Also, on my profile there is a little something that says "THE MOST AMAZING SONG EVER" and check that video out. It's amazing! And check out the songs below, they've inspired stories on here.

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Chapter 13: Sparking Love

I looked up at him with a blend of emotions, most revolving around horror and wonder. The little sky-blue box weighed next to nothing in my hands, but I was pretty sure if I opened it, it would reveal fifteen thousand dollars in a form of a ring. My heart raced off, faster than a panther running after its prey.

"Adrian?" I questioned once more.

"Rose—" I raised an eyebrow expectantly. Sighing, he sat down on my bed, taking my hand and pulling me down with him. "Rose, you know what it is."

"I told you to stay away from these things. They scare me," I said, tossing the box lightly at him.

He reacted quickly, catching the box two-handed before it slipped on the ground. "I don't plan to ask that—'scary' question." He undid the ties of the bows on top of the little square box, removing the lid after. Out of the box, he pulled out a black case and opened it, lifting the top and revealing the content—a platinum diamond ring, nestled into a cushion of velvet.

The beauty—the beauty of the ring made an involuntary gasp came in between my lips. "It's beautiful." The sparkles the diamonds set off danced on my skin as I reached for the ring. Adrian's warm hands stopped my fingers from intruding the black velvet. With simple curiosity, my eyes somehow found his. In that moment, I wanted nothing more than for him to ask me—ask me that question. . .

Delicately, Adrian lifted the ring that shined and slipped it onto my finger. "Perfect fit," he said, taking my finger and kissing it softly. A band of platinum now surrounded my finger. Two small diamonds adorned either side of the humongous, three-carat diamond in the center of the ring, as little decorative diamonds surrounded the band of platinum.

"My father will freak if he sees this ring, resting so comfortable on my finger. . ."

Gazing into my eyes, he rotated the ring so the diamond was now facing the opposite direction. "Better now?"

"Better, I guess; my father will just probably burst a vein open, but it's better," I satirically said.

That broad smile generated an ever-faster beat to my heart. "Quit worrying about your dad. Even though he does not, he will eventually have to let his baby leave."

"He said he would not let me leave the house until I handed him a College Degree in his hand."

"That's all he wants?" His left brow lifted as I nodded. "That could be taken care of easily. A few little dollars here and there and you can buy a false degree and hand it to him."

"If you love your knees I suggest you do not say those things ever again." I stood up from the bed and dragged him with, remembering that the shower was still running. "We need to ready ourselves for Marisol's wedding."

( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )

Obviously, Brian chose Adrian as his best man, and of course, Marisol chose me as her maid of honor—so Adrian and I had to look slightly better than all of the guests. I pinned my hair up in heated rollers as I applied my makeup. Adrian lounged lazily on the bed just in boxers, (guys had it easy; they did not have to spend an awful lot of time getting ready as girls did) flipping through channels without having any notion of doing as so. But I could sense his attention was on me as I ran my makeup brush across my face, coating my cheeks with light blush. I angled my compact mirror so his reflection I could see without him knowing my gazing at him. As soon as my lips were well coated with brink pink gloss, I grinned.

"Does it disturb you, me putting on my makeup in front of you?" I caught his eye in the reflection of my mirror.

"It disturbs me alright—but in all the right ways," he said, scooting nearer to my. An internal shiver ran through my body as he pressed himself in back of me, our bare skins coming into contact. I allowed his lips graze across the back of my neck, dropping down to the hollow of my throat and finally graze the skin of my jaw, twisting me so he had access to my lips. "What is it of you that makes me want you. . . ?"

A moan, inaudible as it came, escaped my lips.

"I want to know." Another kiss. "I want to know. . ."

"Well, you aren't going to know—at least not right now." I was upset of leaving the warmth of his lips and skin, but his sister's wedding was our priority today.

"Come back to me, please." He looked down at the Rolex watch he only wore on special occasions. "We still have some time." He reached out for my hand, taking me back to the bed. Undoing the tie to my robe, he spread out the material, making most of my skin revealed.

Almost giving in . . .

_Just give in, Rose . . ._

Before the clothes could come off, a discreet knock sounded on my door. A few seconds later—Adrian and I had already separated, Nadia walked in.

"Adrian! Out! Rose's dad is coming to check up on her . . ." Adrian ran out the door, gathering his clothes and running towards the room as if dogs were chasing him. Nadia delicately let out her laughs. I had to crack a smile and brief laugh. "I forgot to mention that your dad was going to check on you in three hours. . ." She let her voice trial off evilly.

"Nadia! Don't go off scaring my boyfriends, or else you'll be worse than my dad."

"Relax Rose, remember it was me that talked your dad out of grounding you when he caught you doing a 'little something' the other night." She eyed me with her piercing green eyes, slightly tilting her head to the side, letting her dark blonde hair slide to her side. "Fine. Sorry. I just needed to tell you something!" She bounced with excitement.

"It's fine." Sometimes I wondered if Nadia had grown up. "What is it?"

Nadia put her hands to her face, suppressing a scream. Grasping my hand with her manicured fingers, she dragged me to sit with her next to the bed. "You have to sit down for this. . ." She took several breaths. "Don't freak out, okay?"

"I am sitting on the bed, trying not to freak out . . . what is it?"

She blew out her breath, sending hair flying out of her face. "Okay . . . I'm just going to say it."

"Nadia?" I asked after a couple of seconds.

"Rose—your Dad and I—"

I had to fan myself, keeping me from passing out. I could sense what her next words were going to be.

"Your Dad and I are having a baby!"

I remembered a conversation my real mother and my father had once had. He had asked for another son or daughter but my mother being her usual self said I was enough. And my father lived on with his life, craving another son or daughter . . .

"Rose?" Nadia asked with a hint of worry in her tone. "Aren't you happy?"

She probably thought I had hated her right now for allowing my father's seed grow in her abdomen. "Nadia, yes I am happy, yet shocked all at the same time. Are _you _sure about this?"

"Yes! Your father and I have been trying to get pregnant—for a month now."

"Oh, so that was all the racketing I heard late at night?" I teased.

"Yeah in the night _and _in the morning _and _in the afternoon!" It seemed like Adrian and you and your father and I had a little competition going on."

My cheeks flamed up. But then, I suddenly felt this rush of emotions for the woman that had done so well—lately—to take the spot my mother had left empty. I was happy for the woman. Before she walked out the door, I ended up giving her a humongous bear hug. Her dark green eyes twinkled with joy.

In a few seconds, Adrian walked inside. "Thanks for scaring the shit out of me."

"That was Nadia, not me." I took off the robe that I had quickly fastened over my body when Nadia had knocked. The colorful dress Marisol had chosen for her maid of honor now covered my body—or part of it. It was a summery pink dress that covered just above the knee with an orange dress around the waist. Adrian proceeded on putting on his clothing. Brian and Marisol had wanted a casual wedding and both Adrian and Brian would be wearing dark jeans and button-up shirts that matched the color of my bridesmaid dress. I unpinned my hair from the curls and my hair fell in loose curls a little low from my shoulders.

Marisol was all smiles when I walked into her suite of the hotel where here ceremony would take place. Marisol always wanted to get married in an amusement park. Brian had gone with her decision. It was all about the bride and the mother-to-be, no matter what.

I loved Marisol's dress. A heart-shaped neckline and the rest just flowed freely, except for the back which was bare. She looked really pretty, letting her hair fall shy of her shoulders as she walked down the aisle. I gave her a wink and smile and she sauntered off. In a matter of minutes, Brian and Marisol were husband and wife. I gave her and Brian huge hugs and wished them well for the years to come. The rest of the evening was for us to enjoy the amusement park, which had been reserved so that no one would intrude in this special moment of Brian's and Marisol's.

Like childish lovers, Adrian took my hand and we started running off with no intention of where we were going. I saw a large fountain up ahead and I realized Adrian was intending to drag me along with him inside the fountain. Kicking off my heels, I jumped inside with him. Somehow, we lost footing and I ended up underneath him.

He gazed with depth into my eyes before saying a word. "You look so sexy underneath me. You feel so sexy underneath my skin." Of course he would bust out with a total not-platonic comment at a very platonic moment. "I should just take you right now. . ."

"There are cameras around, Adrian. And not to mention my Dad is hiding behind one of those bushes," I said, pointing at a figure-shaped bush.

"I am sure the security men are all for the free porn and all. . ."

I slapped his shoulder. "No. That's gross, Adrian."

"Well, then. Can you just lay here with me, while the moon shines and the water rushes over us?"

I replied to him with actions, rather than words, laying there beside him as the moon shined on.

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**Sorry for the short chapter. Was going to be longer but my eyes were closing as I typed. But other than that, I thought it was kind of cute. Promise the next chapter is gonna be more action-y and longer. I have to ask, does anyone have a Fictionpress account and reads stories from that sight? If so, I know a really awesome story that is a MUST READ! **

**Again, I thank you for waiting so patiently for waiting for chapters and reviewing for them. Oh and I haven't forgotten about Heartless Sin. It's just that when I opened the document to type it, I suddenly get so bored and just can't write! Sorry, though. I will post Marisol's dress soon so be on the lookout. Hmm…what else do I need to say? Oh. I can't think of ideas to update "Meant to Be" but I am thinking. Sorry for the wait too. What else, what else? Oh! "Living On A Dream Of Hate" I am currently typing the next chapter. If someone writes a really long review (and is a fan of the story) that really makes my day, I will give you my half of the chapter to read and you won't have to wait so long for Lou (TheOriginalPrincess) to update. **

**Well, that's about it . . .**

**Thank you all and have a good night (for me)/day/afternoon . . .**

**- Love M **


	14. Annoying to Problematic

**I don't own Vampire Academy**

Chapter 14: Annoying to Problematic

I was a somewhat late when I walked into class all due to the fact that Adrian wanted to get a little playful—understatement—in the shower. Since college was not as strict on late policies than high school, the professor merely gave me a glance as I walked in tardy. Professor Maverick was the "cool professor," but the professor of my next class . . . oh, hell!

I hated coming in late because the best seats, the ones where I could sit next to the smart people were occupied. I scanned the room—but finally took a seat at random because Professor Maverick was going to be badgering me with questions to put me on the stop, since I knew I would not know answers to any of the questions.

"Hey, Rose," the person sitting next to me whispered. I glanced briefly to my side and noticed that it was one of Adrian's "boys." Dimitri was grinning from ear to ear as I looked at him.

"Hey," I mumbled, turning my attention back to the lecture, he not being the subject of my interest at the moment.

"How are you?"

"Good." My answers were brief, with the intent of making him drop the conversation I most certainly did not want to have.

"Adrian never mentioned you were taking educational courses on massage therapy."

"Maybe because it was not something important?" I suggested.

"Everything about you is important."

Raising an eyebrow, I gave him a sideways glance. "Dude, you have a girlfriend and your best friend is my boyfriend."

"You know I like you, Rose," Dimitri said, wearing that stupid gleeful smile I wanted to burn off his face.

"Well, I don't like you." My hopes of him discontinuing that conversation diminished.

One thing I learned as half of the class passed was: Dimitri was the most annoying male I had encountered. He tried to follow me when the professor said we could take a quick three minute break, but I quickly made conversation with Paisley, who had decided we take this course together.

"Paisley," I sang out, sitting on the edge of her desk. "How are you this morning, love?"

"I am great now that I saw your pretty face, love of mine," she said winking at me. She shot the tall Russian a look. "Who is the new guy?"

"The most annoying guy in the world, why?"

"He's sexy," she said, eyeing him in a way you would inspect a piece of delicious pizza right out of the oven.

"Not really; my man is sexier."

"I usually agree on that, but not this time."

"What's his name?"

"Dimitri, why?"

"I want to talk to him." She turned back to me. "How about we trade seats?"

"I could kiss you right now" was all I said.

Even though Dimitri was seating a couple seats away from where I sat, he still looked my way frequently. He managed to keep up his flirting with Paisley, yet still send winks and air kisses my way. Finally, though, I had enough. I pulled out my beautiful X (Droid) and sent Adrian a txt.

_Dimitri is annoying the shit out of me _

He replied instantly: _**Dimitri annoys the shit out of everyone **_

I threw my phone back in my purse—obviously Adrian was not going to be much help. I settled back and dreaded the rest of the time in the hell-hole of a class. Tapping my foot, drumming my fingers against the desk, and looked about, except to the couple of seats away, I awaited the ending of the class.

Eventually, the time _did _pass and I was the first one out the door; if it were another day, I would have been the last one out to the door, chatting with everyone I passed. But not today. I had a twenty minute break before my next class, so I stalked off the café to grub. Adrian's playfulness in the shower had impeded me from eating anything.

I sat down on one of the patio tables, pulling out my phone to phone Marisol. I knew she would not want to be disturbed in this moment, with it being her honeymoon and all, but I needed a real friend to talk to right now. Paisley was my friends, but Marisol understood me a lot better than Paisley ever would.

"Hello!"

"Hey, Marisol—am I interrupting something?"

"If you would have called three minutes earlier, you would have," she said, laughing over the phone. "How are you, my dear? What's the surprise of your call on such a wonderful morning."

"Oh, God." I tried to block out the horrible mental pictures in my head. "And nothing, really. I thought you and Brian needed a little break from loving."

"Nah, I like loving a little with my Brian."

"Okay, I better hang up. This conversation will only get more awkward by the second. . ."

"No! Don't hang up! I have a little favor to ask for . . . ?"

"How can I service you?"

"Will you go with me to the ultrasound appointment today? And then baby shopping after?" I heard a groan over the other end of the line and I was pretty sure I heard Brian say, "More spending?"

I laughed.

"Shut up, Brian," Marisol said. "So can you go with me, Rose? Please?"

"Yes, of course!"

"Yay! Okay, I'll call you, later 'kay? Brian and I have a little catching up to do."

"Do whatever you have to do," I said before hanging up. "That girl always brings a smile to my face." People nearby gave me weird looks and I smiled at them, not caring what they thought.

I felt my phone vibrate: _**Need to talk to you…where are you at. **_I quickly told Adrian where I was at and I looked at the time and realized I was going to be late again if I didn't hurry my ass up. I felt somebody brush my hand and I looked up to see Dimitri standing there.

"What do you want?"

"You." He slipped his hands in my hair.

"Don't touch me!"

"Rose, I want you. A lot. I've always had." He looked at me with a wicked smile. "I know Adrian is my friend, and it kind of makes me feel sad that I have to do what I have to do. . ."

"Do what?" I asked with complete confusion.

"This," he said, forcing his lips on mine.

"Dimitri, Rose. . .what the fuck?" Adrian yelled.

**Ooooh! What do you think Adrian should do? **

**-M**


	15. Is That Considered Dead

**Been having a stressing week, and due to that, haven't been able to update, but now I am updating. It's a short chapter, but it's all I can give you since I have a five page essay I have to turn-in in ONE day, which sucks! But I think I have it down… My internet device crap thingy, whatever you want to call it broke and therefore I am going to be internet less for a week or so, until I buy my tether which I connect to my phone so that I could steal internet for my computer. Haha evil me! So it might take a couple days for me to update again, but in the meantime I will be writing chapters like a madwoman… Hmm, took a couple minutes off my busy schedule to write this chapter and plot some of the story. Gonna be a crazy story, that's all I can tell you. Well, I'll stop ranting. . . **

**Enjoy(:**

**I don't own VA…**

Chapter 15: Is That Considered Dead

I broke away from, Dimitri slapping him. I turned to look at Adrian. I had never seen him so angry. Adrian stared down at Dimitri, looking as if he were about shoot him.

"Adrian—"

He shut me off quickly. "We'll talk about this later, Rose! Go to my apartment; we'll talk later!"

I took Adrian's advice. I did not feel like facing Adrian in that moment so I left the café. If I wanted to have decent conversation with Adrian, I'd have to keep my emotions under control because I was pretty damn sure I would last out at him and that the last thing I wanted to do.

An advantage of college—the college staff would not call my father to tell him I had not attended school. I was positive my dad would freak and drag me back to school himself, if I didn't do it on my own. I shudder at the thought and drove off to the mall.

( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )

Wasting a few hours was a lot easier at the shopping mall than it would have been if I would have gone to Adrian's apartments. I had to interrupt the manicurist as he finished my out-of-earth nails that were dark purple glitter tips, zebra stripes, and rhinestones—when my cell phone vibrated in my lap.

"Excuse me," I said.

"Sure thing, beautiful." The manicurist was quite a flirt I might say.

Smiling, I slid the green button across the screen to answer my call. "Marisol?...okay, I'll be there in a couple minutes okay?" Marisol had called to tell me that her appointment would be in thirty minutes so I had to hurry. I dropped the flirting with the manicurist, though he still tried to slip in a few flirty comments as my silence continued. Oh God—I hated guys that didn't know when to shut up.

As soon as he was done with my out-of-this-world nails, I handed him my credit card. He slipped a piece of paper in my hand which I presumed he had written his number on. I just smiled as I exited the salon. What could I say to the poor fool? _Sure, I'll call—right after my now-boyfriend dumps me! _

_What makes you so sure Adrian's gonna drop you, Rose? _My mind asked.

Ignoring my mind, and the rest of the world, I almost ran to my car. Marisol liked punctual, and being just the slightest bit late would make her snap . . .

( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )

By some unknown reason I was scared as I waited at the doctor's office with Marisol as my eyes took in the girls—no older than I was—carrying babies in their hands or carrying babies inside their belly. I wasn't scared for myself, I was scared for them. They hadn't lived the world yet, and already they had something greater than life in their hands or growing _in_side their bellies.

Marisol pressed her hand on my leg as it was going to enter its second round of twitching. She smiled kindly as my eyes met hers. "Are you okay, Rose?" Marisol looked around the room and assumed my thoughts. "I know what you're thinking, Rose. Poor girls. But those 'poor girls' are me too."

I was not easy to keep things from your best friend when she knew you from the outside in.

There was not anything to say, really, so I just kept quiet until we waited for the nurse to call in Marisol. I took a breather and started to flip through an old issue of some fashion magazine. I was about to tear out a magazine page that had a picture of the sexiest soccer player in the world, David Beckham, when the a nurse wearing green scrubs called out for Marisol.

A lump rose in my throat as I noticed a girl that looked no older than fifteen held a crying newborn in her hands. A sweet smile appeared on her lips when she noticed my scrutiny. Little girls losing their innocence at such a young age . . . it broke my heart for them.

The nurse led Marisol and me to a room in the back of the facility. The nurse measured Marisol's stomach, checked her weight, took her blood pressure and temperature before she led us to another room where we had to wait for the doctor and the technician to come around.

As soon as the nurse left, I decided to tell Marisol about what had happened earlier. "I think your brother hates me," I stated to Marisol as she lay back on the cot.

"Adrian hates you? Did the world stop spinning or something?"

"I _think _Adrian hates me."

"Whatever did you do to make you _think _that he hates you?"

"His dickhead of a friend, Dimitri, kissed me today. A rather unpleasant kiss, I might add."

"What? With those gorgeous lips, I'd think the kiss as magical, not unpleasant."

"Well, no! I will swallow a whole gallon of acid if I ever have to touch those lips again." I shuddered, thinking of the way he forced his lips on mine.

"Don't be so overly-dramatic." Then, she added, "And I am sure Adrian does not hate you. If anything, he's mad at Dimitri, not you. Adrian knows you and he knows you're not capable of cheating on him, especially with his best friend. Don't worry about it, girl. If he says anything to you, pull out your naughtiest face and suggest some sex. Adrian always caves for those things," she said, smiling wickedly.

I lightly hit her arm, careful not to hurt her. Her words did help, soothing my tense muscles and clearing my head. Minutes later, the doctor came in. Marisol awaited impatiently for the news of her baby.

"It's a girl," the doctor clarified.

I couldn't find the words to describe Marisol's face. She was happy, that I knew was a fact. The shopping trip she cancelled because she wanted to go celebrate with Brian. I wanted to curse the world to hell, since I didn't really feel like facing Adrian right now.

"Fuck!" I whispered quite to loud in the obviously silent room of the doctor's office when I read Adrian's txt. He wanted to talk to me. . .now!

My hands shook a little as I drove to his apartment. The doctor's office was around the corner from Adrian's apartment so I couldn't really do anything. Every minute I drove, every minute closer to Adrian's apartment. I pulled into the drive and stalled as much as I could before getting off this truck.

The door was unlocked. I walked right on in, afraid that Adrian might attack me from behind. _Damn Rose! You're overreacting! It's Adrian! He's not capable of hurting a fly! _It was true. Adrian only became violent when it was me that was in trouble. If it weren't for the fact that he was a upset with me, I would have said his apartment was a little romantic getaway. The shades were closed, with only the chimney to alight the room. Adrian sat, at the edge of the sofa, whiskey on the rocks in his hand.

As the door clicked, he didn't move a muscle. It worried me much.

"I'm here?" I called out. It sounded more like a question than a sentence.

Silence, yet again.

I stared at his back for a while before I finally sighed and walked up to his immobile posture. I hugged his back, grasping as much of him as possible. I did not enjoy his silence one bit. I loved my Adrian, the Adrian that laughed and made stupid remarks most of the time, the Adrian that _loved _me under the covers _in _bed.

He took a sip of whiskey as my lips kissed the back of his neck. "I know you are mad at me, and I am so, so very sorry for that."

Out of nowhere, he sets the cup down on the table, freeing himself from my grasp. My heart cracked at his rejection. I started sliding the one hand that was still touching him off his shoulder. He didn't want me touching him. Before I could remove my hand completely, he caught it and pulled me onto his lap.

He placed a kiss on my shoulder. "I am not mad at you. I cannot ever be mad at you. No, never at you. I am mad at your parents for making such a beautiful daughter, males all find attractive and can't behave themselves around her." He shook his head in disbelief. "How did you get caught up in someone as ugly as I am?"

"You're not ugly," I contradicted. "I love you, every part of you I find beautiful. Bad or good, I love it."

"I was not talking about my physical features. I am referring to my lifestyle. . ."

"Your lifestyle?"

His eyebrows scrunched together. I could see the battle in his eyes, the heaving of his chest. He wanted to, he needed to tell me something . . .

But wouldn't.

"I love you, Rose. If anything happens to you, because of me, I swear I will not live another second." He spoke more to himself than to me.

"Adrian, nothing's going to happen to me. What have you done to make you think something's going to happen to me?"

The love-sick look came to his face. "Oh, Rose." He pulled me close. "Come here. . .I can't bear being without you."

"Then don't be without me. . ."

With a fiery passion, his lips took mine over. . .

I felt so much better as I woke up three hours later in Adrian's bed, half clothed.

It was then I heard the voice. Adrian's voice and a . . . female? Oh bloody hell. Which bitch was here to talk to my man! My man! I reached around until I found Adrian's shirt. Maybe me wearing Adrian's shirt would send her off since usually girls put their boyfriend's shirt on . . .

"This wasn't supposed to happened!" she screamed obviously at Adrian. "And obviously it's happened, and I need to take care of it!" she spat out.

"Do you not care that she's your own blood!" Adrian yelled back.

"I don't care what happens to her. She's _his _disturbance now, not mine."

I froze, my blood leaving my brain and disappearing somewhere into my feet. I wanted to fall. My knees had gone weak. I was barely able to drag my own feet to the doorframe so I could support myself.

"Oh. My. God!" Not even to my ears it was audible. "You're dead."

"Rose—" Adrian stared at me horrified.

And I stared at the person standing before him horrified.

"Mom. . .you're dead!"

The woman sighed, the roll of her eyes expressed her agitation. "Rose, obviously I am not. I am standing right in front of your face, breathing and talking. Is that considered dead to you?"

**Why do you think Janine pretended like she was dead? **

**P.S. I heard the most EPIC song on Wednesday! You must hear it! It's amazing! It's on my profile...tell me what you think of it! It's under the name Epic Song! Please listen to it!  
**

**Take lots of care**

**-M**


	16. The Swearing

**Short A/N: Umm…I had a nice weekend in Vegas! It sucks cause you can't do anything until your twenty one and it sucks even worse that you still have several years before you get to 21! Anyways, I have to hurry and finish this story since the Last Sacrifice release date is soo close! I will have this finished! And thank you for reading!

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Chapter 16: The Swearing

Adrian-

My boss was pissed off—I was damn sure of that. The veins on her forehead were close to bursting. Out of the corner of my eye I kept a lookout for my bedroom. I did not want Rose coming inside the living room in this precise moment. I was pretty sure my boss would kill her.

"Adrian. . .did you get the job done?"

I could see my boss's hand inch towards the gun she always carried in her side pocket. There was a point in my life where I was scared shitless if I saw her hand near the side pocket. She could pull a gun on you without an instants notice. But I had learned that she only used a gun when you really pissed her off or you didn't follow her orders exactly the way she wanted.

"Yes, Janine. I did. The shipment was left at the docks. Jeremy, Niall, Sage, and I made sure to dispose of the shipment." Removing all the fear I was feeling from my gaze, I looked down at her. I could tower over her, but she sure as hell could scare the life out of me.

"Good. Our deal, you know?" Every time we met, she always reminded of the "deal." And like always, of course I remembered . . .

Rose's mother wanted to destroy Abe Mazur and anything that Abe Mazur loved. She would kill her own daughter in an instant, just to make Abe suffer. The reason—unknown. The little incident, the one where someone shot at Lacey—it was one of Janine's men. Janine wanted to send a little message to Abe as he was getting on Janine's nerves. She would have killed Rose as well. But I made a deal with her. Spare Rose's life for my working with her until I died.

And because of that, Rose and I would eventually part; not because we wanted to, but because we _needed _to—or else die.

Janine looked around my apartment, taking in every little feature. My apartment looked like the shed she had out in the back of her mansion. The small coffee table in the center of the room caught her attention. A picture of Rose and I. She stalked over to it and lifted it.

"My God—she's beautiful."

"She is," I whispered.

My boss—the woman with no emotions—was now shedding a tear. Just one tear, but a tear nonetheless.

"You love her," she stated. She put the picture back down with a lot more force than necessary.

She _had _stated the obvious, so I kept my mouth shut.

When she turned back around, her eyes were blazing with anger.

"This wasn't supposed to happen!" she screamed at me. "And obviously it's happened, and I need to take care of it!"

"Do you not care that she's your own blood!" I yelled back. Rule number one: Don't yell at the boss unless you want to get killed.

"I don't care what happens to her. She's _his _disturbance now, not mine." She never said Abe's name, no matter what.

"Oh my God." I heard Rose's faint whisper. Janine heard it too. She turned, trying to keep her expression hardened. For a second, she let it slip. A second later, she hard woman's face was back.

"You're dead." Rose stared at Janine as if a miracle was happening in the form of Janine.

I was horrified. "Rose. . ."

"Mom. . .you're dead!"

The rudeness of Janine made the miracle-like moment vanish. Janine was annoyed, that was obvious. "Rose, obviously I am not. I am standing right in front of your face, breathing and talking. Is that considered dead to you?"

"But you died! I saw you die."

"You didn't see me anything. Rose, your father set this up because he wanted me away from, saying _I _was dangerous, when in truth, it's he that's dangerous. Did he ever tell you why people consider him a 'mob?'"

Rose couldn't come up with a better answer than "you're dead."

Her temper being the reason of her, Janine snapped out at Rose, hitting her in the cheek. My anger flared just the same way Janine's temper rose. I shoved Janine to the side, and stood in front of Rose to protect her. Setting a hand on Janine was a broken rule which would likely result in my death, but I didn't care. I had to protect Rose. She was my priority, the only reason I decided to join Janine's world of drug dealing.

"I can kill her in an instant, Adrian! Don't tempt me into doing so! I haven't killed in three days, and my killing instinct is starved."

"Don't kill her," I pleaded.

We stared at each other for a few seconds.

"Very well then." She gave me a sideways look. "You are sleeping with the enemy, that I cannot allow. You now have to swear to new terms, well. . ._one _term."

"Anything, as long as Rose lives," I said, hanging up my head, not ashamed of my love and protectiveness over Rose.

"You broke one of my laws, you promised you wouldn't come back to Rose, yet you did. So now I have to enforce my authority. You must swear you will never see Rose again."

I had to swear or I knew Janine would murder Rose right then and there. With pain in my eyes, I looked straight at Rose. "To never see Rose ever again, I swear."

I saw the pain overtake her beautiful face.

My world shattered into a million pieces.

Rose-

I knew Adrian and I would have to split at one point, but not like this. When he swore to those words, the agony on his face, I wanted to kill my own my mother and father for ever introducing us to this world. If my father would have never started this drug business, none of this would be happening right now. None of this. I could be happy with Adrian right now. We could be worrying about the future, but most the present. He and I could be attending college right now. We could be together right now. . .

But I knew the reality.

We could never be together.

Ever.

Ignoring my dad's number one rule, I burst into his office. Nadia and him were caught up in each other, my dad's hand resting on Nadia's swelling abdomen. How could they be so happy, Nadia expecting, while Adrian and I had to separate? I did not see how it was fair in the slightest.

"Rose, darling, are you alright?" It was Nadia who paid attention to my heart-broken expression.

I ignored her, only setting my eyes on my father. "Why didn't you ever tell me?"

"Tell you what?" I could see in his eyes he was already expecting what I was about to ask him next.

"You said, made me believe, that my mother was dead! Why didn't you tell me she wasn't dead?"

"Rose, I needed to protect you."

"And taking me away from my mother was the best option?" The satirical tone my voice offered didn't make him happy.

"Your mother had become dangerous for your world. I needed to take you away from that."

"I understand that you wanted to protect me. But why lie to me when you knew it was going to hurt me?" The sadness of Adrian's swearing and me losing him made my tears escape my eyes. "And now because of that, I can't be happy. Ever."

"You have a good life here, Rose. What more could you need?"

With defeat in my voice, I responded. "I need Adrian. And now I can't have him because of the stupid feud between you and my mother."

"Who's stopping you from seeing him?"

"He's. . . he's on my mother's side. He has been for the past four months. She made him swear not to see me again. She forbade it."

My dad's fist slammed into his desk. "They are the enemy! I forbid you to see him as well. If ever I hear or see him within a mile away from you, I swear to whoever you believe in, that I will have him killed."

"Father. . .with reason, I can see why my mother forbade him to see me. But you cannot do the same!" I pleaded.

"I sure as hell can, Rose. I can do anything I want. I am your master, as well as your father. You do as I say. And if I say you can't see Adrian ever again, then you will just have to follow my orders!"

"Ibrahim, as the lady of this_ mob_, I say that Rose gets at least a little goodbye with Adrian."

"Nadia, I cannot allow that. And you have no say."

"Bullshit, Abe. I am your wife and the mother of your child. Of course I have a say."

I loved Nadia in that moment.

"I will sure as hell not allow it! Rose, Nadia, I am sorry, but my word is final."

I sent a thankful look at Nadia. She gave me a sad smile. Slamming the door, I walked out of my father's office.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

After realizing that tears wouldn't help out the situation I was in, I just laid in bed, thinking about all those beautiful times with Adrian. From the day I met him, to the day he told me he loved me, from the ring he put that ring on my finger, and to today, as I saw the pain on his face as he swore never to see me again.

Three soft knocks sounded before someone opened the door.

"Rose, can I come in?" Nadia hesitated in the doorway, deciding on whether she should enter or not.

"Sure, Nadia. Everything alright?"

"Yes, Rose. Everything is well." She looked around the hallway before quietly closing the door and locking it.

"I want to thank you for earlier. You knew my dad wouldn't be reasonable, but yet you tried."

She waved my thanks away. "You know Rose, I have this motherly/sisterly concern towards you. I have this mothering instinct to protect you."

"Thank you, Nadia."

Again she waved off my thanks. "I have to do this quick. Your dad ordered Smith to keep a close eye on you, he could very well have his ear pressed against your door. "

"Do what?"

She handed me a note. "Don't let anyone see this. It could cost him his life."

I unfolded the note and read it.

_I went against your father's orders and called Adrian myself. I set up a little hideout for you and him at hotel: The Venetian. You only have a couple hours before your dad will get suspicious, but until then enjoy your night with Adrian, treat it like it's your last, and quite frankly it is. _

_P.S. Johnson works for _me. _He will help you sneak out of the gates. Adrian will be waiting at The Venetian 12: 00 AM sharp! The reservations are under the name Nadia Schanson! It will only be a couple of hours, but it's better than nothing right? _

Without thinking, I reached out and hugged Nadia. "Thank you," I whispered in her ear.

"Rose, you have nothing to thank me for."

I gave her another hug and kiss and I readied myself for the night ahead, hoping it wasn't the death of Adrian or me. . .

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**Hmm. . . do you think Nadia would betray them? **


	17. The Last Goodbye

**Sorry if this chapter was rushed. I had to type it out quick because I have to get to school tomorrow and it SUPER late. Thanks for all the reading and reviewing! You are ever-so kind!

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Chapter 17: The Last Goodbye

Nadia had been right. Johnson was at the gate, waiting inside a car with a running engine. With my designer purse tightly clutched to my side, I opened the door and got inside the car. I had only ever seen Johnson once, and his sexy features intimidated me. Even getting inside the car was a struggle; my whole body shook and felt weak.

His sweet smile kind of surprised me. "It's okay, Rose. Nothing is going to happen to you. Nadia gave me strict orders. If anything happens to you while on my watch, she will kill me herself."

"I'm not scared of anything happening to _me. _I'm scared of what might happen if anyone finds out about. . .you know."

"The little late night loving?" I blushed while he laughed. "Nothing to be embarrassed about. It's completely natural between male and female, and it is most especially natural between people that love each other."

I nodded. "Why are you going against my father to help me?"

"Like Nadia said, I work for _her_, not your father." I saw his hands tighten on the wheel. "And besides, my love was killed. I swore not to see her, but I was stupid and rash. I saw her and broke my swearing. I found out a few hours later. . .she was murdered by my own father. So it's my pleasure helping you out here."

"Thank you, Johnson."

"God, Johnson reminds me too much of my past. Call me Hanson."

"Okay. Thank you, Hanson."

He smiled again as he pulled up to the Valet of the Venetian. "Have fun, dear Rose." He handed me a small piece of paper. "Call me if any trouble comes up. I'll be glad to take care of it. Again, enjoy your time."

I looked around to look for Adrian. I sighed when I didn't see him. I was just about sit down on one of the benches when a pair of hands wrapped around my body from behind.

"I thought you would never show up."

I turned in his arms and kissed him passionately, with all my might.

"We have to get inside," he said, with a sad note in his voice.

Nadia had everything set up for Adrian and me. All we had to do was get the keys to the room. Adrian and I kept our hands to each other as we rode up the elevator, though by the sexual tension caging itself, I could sense he wanted to do anything but keep his hands off me. Finally, the elevator doors opened and we almost ran to our room.

A little champagne bottle was set up for him and I as we entered the suite. We ignored it. We wanted every second we had for us.

I didn't know who reached for the other first, but I suddenly found myself tightly in his arms.

The caged sexual tension exploded.

We surrendered to the fiery hot passion. . .

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

My eyes shot open. Every morning and every day and every night I thought about nothing but that night of a month and a half ago. The way Adrian's lips and hands roamed my body, about the way he claimed he loved me. And about the way we said our goodbyes. It broke my heart to do it, but I had to leave him so that he could have a chance at living as well.

Groaning, I tossed my blanket aside. I looked at myself still dressed in the clothes from last night, which were very uncomfortable, as I struggled to keep my eyes open. There were times lately where I just randomly fell asleep and wake up in the morning with nausea that would not fade until I threw up all my dinner from the night before.

Stretching, I realized the nausea would not be something I missed this morning. . .

I sat down next to Nadia as breakfast was being served. I did not speak a word to my father unless I had to. Nadia, however, we were on very good terms.

"Good morning, Rose," my father said, smiling for the first time in a long time.

"Good morning, father." That was about it with conversation between my father and I.

My father pushed his breakfast away. "Rose, your silence kills me. Tell me, besides the obvious, what I can do to make our relationship better?"

"I don't see how it can be better. Drop this war you have with my mother and I'll be happy."

"Die before backing down. . ."

"Well, die before our relationship gets better."

It was halfway through breakfast where I almost barfed on the table and fell off the chair because my nausea had taken me over. Hanson passing by, caught me before I fell off.

"Are you well, dearest?"

I loved how he cradled me against his chest. He reminded me too much of Adrian.

"Take her to her room, Johnson," my father said. He wasn't allowed to call Johnson 'Hanson.' "I'll call Dr. Kenzite to come to check on her."

"I don't need a doctor," I complained as Hanson carried me upstairs.

I didn't realize Nadia had followed Hanson to my room until she spoke. "Hanson, close and lock the door."

Hanson complied to her orders.

"What's up, Nadia?" I put a hand to my forehead, hoping the nausea would pass. "Wonder why I get sick every morning. . ." I said more to myself than anyone else.

"Ever heard of the term 'morning sickness?'"

"Yes—oh, wait. . . Do you think. . . ?" My voice faded off into a question.

"If you asked me last week, then yes I would _think_. But now that you ask me, I am _sure_ you are pregnant." Nadia had once studied to be an ob-gyn, but stopped in her medical training because of my father marrying her.

Hanson gasped. Why hadn't Nadia kicked him out?

But beyond all that was happiness.

I was pregnant. . .

. . . pregnant with Adrian's child!

Then the sad realization hit. My child would never know his/her father.

"My father is going to murder me. He's gonna know Adrian is the father and he's going to make me kill this baby." I cried. "I can't let him do that!" I put my hand on my belly, my hand shaking, as if my hand would protect this baby from all the harm in the world.

"You can _try _and keep it a secret," Nadia said, kindly. "But as your stomach grows, your father will find out. Why don't you tell him now? He's quite in a good mood, since you know, we're having a boy."

"He's going to murder me," I repeated.

"Rose, I'll be here for you, sweetheart." I met Nadia's green eyes and let tears fall. She took hold of my hands and soothed them down. "It's okay. You have to do it now or else your father will become an unreasonable person."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"That bastard is the baby's father, isn't he!" My father screamed as I crouched in my chair.

"No," I weakly said.

"You must get rid of that _thing _before it brings trouble to this world."

"No," I said much weaker than before.

Nadia rolled her eyes. "Abe, be reasonable. Adrian and Rose haven't seen each other in a while. How is it humanly possible Rose's pregnant with his baby when she only is four weeks pregnant?"

Nadia knew my father better than I did. Her being here helped me a lot.

"Alright. . . who is the father, then?"

With sadness, I looked to my left. An empty chair. Dammit! In another world, Adrian should have been here, holding my hand as we told my father I was pregnant. But this wasn't another world. This was my world. . .

I was about to tell my father that I didn't have the slightest clue who the father was when Hanson spoke up.

"I am the father, Mr. Mazur."

My father crossed his legs as he leaned back in his chair. It took all my strength not to let my jaw hang open. I saw Nadia control herself as well. Hanson had earned his spot next to my father this past month. My father liked Hanson and even considered him for me. But now. . .who knew?

Hanson gave me a piercing stare. _Play along, _I read in his gaze. Swallowing every bit of my pride, I faked a smile. With my hand I motioned for Hanson to come closer and sit down in the chair next to mine. As soon as he sat, I took his hand.

"Yes, dad. John is the father of my child."

"Mr. Mazur, Rose and I are in love." He put a hand on my belly. "This baby—although unplanned—was the best thing that could have happened to us. Right, love?"

"Yes, baby."

Out of nowhere, my father smiled. He stood up and patted Hanson on the back. "Congratulations, Johnson."

"Thank you, Mr. Mazur."

"Oh, no. Please call me, Abe."

"Thank you, Abe."

"Such great news! Are you already planning for the big day? My, oh my! I could see you already have a ring on her finger!"

We both looked down at my hand. The ring I was wearing was the one Adrian had given me some time ago. I vowed never to take off that ring.

"Yes, Abe. Of course I have a ring on her finger. After all, she is the mother of my child." He smiled faintly. "And as for the big day, it's up to her. She's the one who decides."

"This is great joy." My father turned to look at me. "It seems you have forgotten that bastard Adrian."

Still smiling, I nodded. My father stood up and exited the room.

When he was gone, I cried silently for my lost love in the comfortable arms of Hanson.

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**So what do you think of Hanson? **

**Thanks for reading my lovelies…**

**Now off to sleep…**

**-M**


	18. The Little Wonder

**Wooow! I love this chapter! Well, the last part. A super long chapter for you so I better get super long reviews from you. Haha. Nah. JK. Review as you wish. But please enjoy the chapter(:

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Chapter 18: The Little Wonders of Life

I turned around as I assessed myself in the mirror. Looking at myself from the back, the slight way my hips jutted out was the only swelling I had. But when I turned back around to asses my front—it was a whole thing entirely. My body had stretched enough to hold a nine month old fetus that was ready to pop out at any second.

"I'm so fat," I complained out loud.

"Being pregnant is the most wonderful thing in the world," Hanson said as he entered my room, immediately zipping up my zipper as soon as he saw I was having trouble zipping it up. "And you're pregnant, not fat."

"I wish I could hide it."

"There is no reason to try and hide it."

Hanson's hand lingered a few extra seconds on the exposed skin of my back. His eyes met mine as I stared at his reflection. He didn't have to say anything for me to _know _that he obviously cared for me, cared for me in the usual friendship way. He wanted to date me. And he made it very clear that he would be my child's father. He loved the little creature that was growing within me as much I loved him.

It was Hanson that accompanied me to every doctor appointments I'd had from when I found out I was pregnant to the day they told me I was having a boy and to the day where they told me my cervix was already a centimeter dilated and that my son would be coming any day now. Hanson really cared for me—the obvious truth. And he didn't care that the baby growing inside of me wasn't his own blood and flesh.

But I could never be what he wanted me to be for him.

My heart still longed for Adrian. . .

Hanson's hand moved from my back to the bottom of my swollen abdomen. He knew that was my son's favorite spot to kick. A few seconds later, sure enough, I heard his soft laughter and the feeling of my son's kicking against the skin of the inside of my stomach.

"That boy is sure going to be a good kicker, maybe good for soccer, don't you think?"

"My baby can be anything he wants to be."

"That's for sure; he's going to be free-willed like his mother."

I took myself out of Hanson's hands so that we could finally meet up with my father and Nadia downstairs. Nadia had recently given birth and my father wanted to celebrate his new son's first month of living. Dinner tonight with my father and his wife—fun, isn't it? Not for me.

When Nadia had become the new lady of the house, she had decided to decorate almost every wall of the house with mirrors. What was it with this lady and mirrors? I caught myself staring at my huge belly again. _Just a couple more days, Rose. Or weeks. _I sighed. My doctor had made her point. "Usually first time mothers spend a few extra weeks before the baby finally decides to come out." I wanted to slap her, but thank God Hanson was there to calm me down some.

"I am thinking about canceling dinner. I don't even look good in clothes anymore. And I could barely drag my feet," I whined, wishing once more the baby came out already. I loved him, yes, but the wonders of pregnancy began to fade the last month. One, my back was aching. Two, my feet were swollen. Three, I barely slept! (I could keep on going and going.)

Hanson eyed the black tights, black sweater-dress and my black heels. "If you take of those pointy heels, maybe you'll feel a little bit better."

"How about I just cancel? Not only do my feet hurt, but it's cold as fuck out there."

"If you cancel, your father will be very disappointed."

Hanson rolled his eyes when he realized disappointing my father was the least of my worries. My father had been disappointed when he found out I was pregnant, who cared if I disappointed him now because I canceled on him? Not caring that Hanson was getting a little impatient—not at me, of course never at me—I walked my ass back to my bedroom and sat down on the bed, kicking off the heels I obviously could not walk.

"Oh, orgasm," I moaned as I passed my feet through the softness of the ivory-colored rug. Hanson walked off into my closet somewhere.

A few minutes later, Hanson walked out with a pair of my black flats in his hand. He kneeled down in front of me, taking my left foot, massaging it, before slipping on the black flat; he paid the same attention to the other foot.

"Thanks, Hanson." This was not the first time I thanked God for Hanson being here. Without him, I did not know who would take care of me. _Not Adrian, _I thought with a sudden anger. Hanson held out his hand, and just like the anger appeared, it disappeared. "I don't really want to party, but if you want to, then I'll accompany you," I said as Hanson helped me down the stairs.

"It's not going to be so bad—Marisol is going to be there with her husband."

"Marisol?" I would have fallen off the staircase if Hanson's hand wasn't holding me at the mention of Marisol's name. I hadn't seen or heard of Marisol ever since the last time I saw Adrian. I hadn't even seen or heard of Adrian's parents. She didn't answer my calls or anything, so telling her that I was having her brother's baby was kind of hard if she wasn't keeping in contact with me.

"Yes, Marisol."

"We're celebrating for family matters, why in the world would_ Marisol_ be attending?"

"Nadia," Hanson said as if it were an explanation to everything. "Nadia wanted their babies to socialize or something like that."

"Nadia's kid is, like, a month, Marisol's kid is three; how the hell does Nadia expect the babies to 'socialize?' Sometimes I really wonder what goes through the mind of Nadia."

"Hey," Hanson teased, "don't talk about your step-mother like that."

"She's more like my sister than she is my step-mother. Wonder why my dad wanted to go for a woman that is fifty years younger than him?"

"I am not old," came the complaining voice of my old man.

"Well, you are not _that _old." I smiled. "Better?"

My father took the teasing at light. I was talking with him! And smiling! There was something you hadn't seen in a couple months.

"And Nadia is not that _young_, either." Nadia slapped my father on the shoulder as he made the little comment. I laughed. My little creation started kicking in my stomach. The smile on my face grew broader. This had to be the first time in this month of pregnancy that I had felt so right, so happy.

Little did I know in a couple of hours my happy mood would change. . . .

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Rose!" Marisol called out as I walked into the restaurant. People turned to stare at her as if she had grown a second head. I just smiled. That was my crazy Marisol!

"Hey, girl!"

Marisol stood from her seat and ran to me. She stopped before she reached me, though, her mouth hanging open as she stared at the huge bulge on my body.

"Girl, spill! What is this?" She placed a hand softly on my belly. Immediately, my son stared kicking. He liked everyone; he was going to be a social boy like his mother—and father.

"Rose's baby bump," I announced with a smile filled with pride.

"No way—you can't be pregnant. When did it happen?" She eyed Hanson standing next to me, and the hand he placed softly on my back.

"A few months back, actually. I'm due next week."

"Good luck." She let out her breath as she was probably remembering her experience with child birth. "I am not going to lie: Child birth is a bitch."

"It is," Nadia put in.

"I kind of got the idea when Nadia forced me to enter the room with her while she had little Tyson."

"I didn't force you," Nadia protested.

"Uh, griping my hand like you were griping on for dear life and threatening me—that's considered force to me. But it's fine. I'll make sure to be careful next time so this"—I ran a hand through my stomach—"doesn't happen again."

After our little chat, we all sat down at the table and ordered our drinks and then our food. It was after dinner that I excused myself to go pee the life out of my bladder (as my baby was using my bladder as a freaking kicking mat!) and Marisol followed. As I sat down on the toilet, Marisol talked to me from outside the stall. Kind of awkward, if you asked me.

"I am really happy for you, Rose, for that little baby that's going to pop out at any second."

"Thanks, Marisol." I joined her in front of the mirror as I washed my hands.

I could sense something was bothering Marisol. She tapped her fingers on the marble countertop and looked very anxious.

"Anything bothering you, Mare?"

Mare nodded. She stared down at the counter before popping her head back up to see me. "I'm just ask."

"Okay?"

"Who's your baby's daddy?" She asked out of the blue.

Her hard look softened as she noticed how my face fell.

"Oh, God, Marisol. . ."

"It's my brother, isn't it?"

"Yes. I'm having his baby." A weight was heaved off my shoulders as I told Marisol that her brother was the father of my son.

"Does he know?"

"Marisol," I cried, "I haven't seen him, or talked to him in nine months. My mother and father orders us not see each other."

"Because of that stupid drug crap thingy between your parents, right?"

I nodded.

"Do you think Adrian should know?"

"I don't know. . ."

"Rose," Marisol said and reached out and hugged me. Before I knew it, I stared bawling.

OoOoOoOoOo

"Are you okay," Hanson asked, his piercing green eyes studying my puffy eyes.

"Hormones," I choked out. He knew how much I cried. He had been a witness of my week hormones and the crazy emotions because of them.

"Ready to leave?"

"Yeah, I'm really tired. My feet are aching. And I'm starting to feel cramping in my stomach. . .maybe tonight this baby decides to come out." Judging by the slight intensity of the cramps, I had a feeling that tonight was going to be the night.

Marisol and I hugged for a couple extra seconds when it was time to leave. I was surprised when Brian hugged me as well. Their little Sky was beautiful; she sure was going to be a piece of art when she grew up to be my age. I kissed them all on the cheek, giving an additional kiss to Sky's forehead, before Hanson shrugged his coat on my as we headed out to our cars.

It was getting painful to walk to the car. With each step, I had a little spasm of pain. I cried out in pain as Hanson helped me into the car. I took a huge breath as Hanson sat in the driver's side.

"Hanson?" I yelled out.

"Rose?"

"Take me to the hospital now!"

"Are you sure, Rose? It's too soon—"

"Hanson—I said now, bitch!"

"Rose. . ."

"TAKE ME TO THE HOSPITAL!"

"Child birth is a bitch" Marisol said, and child birth was a bitch! Giving birth to my son was the hardest thing. After thirty hours of screaming, vomiting, crying, cursing the guy that had gotten me pregnant, beating on Hanson, more crying, more beating on Hanson, definitely a lot more screaming, more screaming, and more screaming—I gave birth to my son, Evan Jacob. Thirty torturous hours just to push out a small little thing that weighed near seven pounds.

But all was well when they handed me my bundle of joy.

OoOoOoOoOo

-Adrian (because you asked for it:)

"How is she?" I asked the nurse as she walked out into the lobby of the hospital. She was the nurse I had paid a decent amount of money so she could keep me updated about how Rose was doing as she was having my child. I would have given up my life just as long as I witnessed my child being born and support Rose throughout labor, but I knew Hanson was taking care of her right. "Is she still in pain?"

"Well, I must congratulate you, Mr. Ivashkov. Ms. Hathaway has given birth—to a boy—your son."

My joy was too much. I reached out and hugged the woman.

A little scared, I asked. "Can—can I see him?"

The nurse (Amber I read off her name tag) looked around the hospital, sighing. "I am going to get fired for this. . ." She whispered.

"Relax, nurse. The amount I paid you is enough to help you get through the rest of your ears. If seeing my son means more money paid, just say the word."

"No, no." She sighed again. "Fine, I'll take you to meet your son."

She led me to the part of the hospital that had a sign on it: NICU it read.

She pointed at an incubator that held a tiny little creature, the little creature that I hadn't known of until two days ago.

"Why is he in here?" I demanded.

"Ms. Hathaway was malnourished throughout her pregnancy, the baby was born with slight anemia and low red blood cells because of that."

Hanson was going to get a little chat from me. Two actually; he was supposed to take care of Rose and he had to tell me Rose was expecting my child. And he hadn't. If it wasn't for my sister, I would have never known I was going to be a father.

"Have a seat, Mr. Ivashkov."

I was nervous as I took a seat. The nurse undid a couple of wires on my baby before setting him in my arms.

Letting my guard down, I cried for the first time in years.

"I've only ever said this once, and to your mother, but I love you, son." I pressed a tender kiss on his fragile hand. "You're as beautiful as your mother." A low chuckle escaped my lips as a big yawn overtook him. He was so small and yet he held the world for me. I wanted to hold my son forever, but I couldn't. An outside world existed, and that world prohibited from making any contact with Rose, and my son.

"Congratulati0ns, Ivashkov," I heard a voice I immediately recognized as Hanson's voice. "He's an angel, just like his mother."

"Watch it," I growled. "You're talking about the woman I love. Your paid to watch for Rose, not to fall in love with her."

Hanson stayed quiet. "I'm sorry," he said, though I wasn't sure of what.

"So, since you bastard can get close to Rose without getting killed, what did she decide to name our son?"

"Evan Jacob."

I looked down at my child and began talking to him. "Your mother has some issues with choosing names." I shot my head back at Hanson. "You know, Hanson, if I didn't hate you so much, I would name my son after you."

"Why would you hate me?" He asked, bewildered. "I take care of Rose for you!"

"Not for your own free will. You take care of Rose for me because I pay you too. It's your job."

"If you want to stop—"

"Look Hanson, I didn't come here to discuss job matters with you. I came here to see my son. If you want to talk business come to my office."

"You're the boss," Hanson growled.

"Please leave. I am trying to enjoy my moment with my son."

I didn't turn around to see if Hanson left or not. I just enjoyed the wonderful moments with my son, Evan Jacob.

* * *

**Aww, I love this.**

**Hmm, what do you think of Adrian hiring Hanson to watch out for Rose? And…what do you think is gonna happen next? **

**-M**


	19. Bloodshed

**Whoa…must get to sleep. Crazy chapter! That's all I'm gonna say! **

**I don't own VA…**

Chapter 19: Bloodshed

"Evan!" Hanson yelled with slight humor in his voice as my seven-month old Hanson splashed the water he had spilled from his sippy-cup on his high chair.

"Get him, baby!"

Chuckling, Hanson sat down next to me, quite closely. If I titled my face just slight, my face would be on Hanson's. Evan's eyebrows scrunched together as he saw Hanson too close to his mamma. He grabbed his cup and tossed it into Hanson's face.

I burst out laughing. Nadia who was struggling with her Tyson let out her hard laugh as well. Evan clapped his hands in joy as he realized that he had entertained the whole table.

"I see how it is, Evan. Let's see who watches you when your mother is snoring her ass off."

My Evan's smile grew as if to say _I don't care. _God, I loved my child. Funny how this small _thing _was the _thing_ that meant most. Every part of my baby Evan Jacob was absolutely perfect and precious: The mane of dark brown curls; the long, slim hands he obviously inherited from me; the long legs from his father (because I wasn't tall); and those astounding eyes. Jewel-like eyes that were caught in between the color emerald green and honey-brown.

Although I had been wishing my son looked like his father, I was relieved when he came out looking like me. The lie Hanson had made up in order to keep my son was more believable now. If my son had come out looking like Adrian, well then—I was screwed. My father had been a little hesitant to believe Hanson was the father, but it helped out a lot Hanson had the same color eyes of Adrian, though a shade lighter.

Our little laughing moment stopped when my father walked into the room. It wasn't the fact that he walked into the room that made our laughing subside, but his expression, an expression of absolute failure. My heart rate slowed even more when someone stepped inside the room behind my father, someone that had cheated on me with my at-the-time best friend.

Zack.

He wore that same exact expression of failure as my father.

"Abe, darling! Are you okay!" Nadia asked, with alarm in her voice.

"We've failed, Nadia."

"What are you talking about, Abe?" I could see in Nadia's eyes that she knew what was happening, but wanted my father's confirmation.

"It's the end. The final war."

"Oh, God," Nadia gasped, throwing her hand over her mouth, tightening her grip on Tyson who was staring at her with a worried look.

"What are we going to do?" I asked, scared for the well-being of my child. I took him in my arms as if I could protect him from all the harm in the world.

"_You_—Nadia and you—are going to hide while the bullets rage on." My father raised an eyebrow to see if I challenged him, or disagreed with what he had said. Of course not—I wouldn't go against his word this time. If I didn't have a child, I would have gone out there and fought with my father, even if it was against my mother, but now I had a son; my son was more important than anything else that was happening at this time. "Hanson, Zack, and I—and all my men—_we _will fight till the end," my dad said, pulling out a gun from under his belt. I didn't have any idea what kind of gun it was, but a gun, nonetheless.

I shivered.

"Hanson?" I gasped out.

My dad gazed at me for a second, at the child in my hands, and at Nadia and the child in her hands. His jaw clenched. "Hanson!"

"Yes, sir?"

"Take Nadia and Rose to the hideout. Don't leave them—for anything." My father looked at me with pain in his eyes, probably the first time he would let his guard down in all night. I ran to him and hugged him. No matter how much I hated what he was caught up in. . .he was still my dad, the man that had stuck around with me when my mother hadn't. This might as well be the last time I would see him. "Love you, Rose. You were the best daughter any father could wish for. The day the nurse put you in my arms. . . I could not have been a luckier man."

I cried like crazy. It was hard for anyone in the room_ not_ to have been crying. "I love you more, dad. . ." My words were cut off as my throat restricted around the tears. He knew though, my eyes expressed everything I wanted to say.

"And Nadia, take care of your son. It was the best time of my life meeting you."

"How do you know about that?" she asked.

"That Tyson isn't my son?" My father chuckled. "The eyes—Hanson's exact same eyes."

I stared at Hanson. He just shrugged.

"Oh, and you too, Rose. I am sorry I impeded my grandchild to grow without his father."

"I know Tyson's eyes are like Hanson's, but how do you know Adrian was my baby daddy, when Evan's eyes are not that of Adrian's?"

"Maybe not the eyes, but Evan's facial expressions? Very much like Adrian's. If the boy hadn't been around like enough, I would have never guessed Adrian was the dad. I would have believed Hanson was the father. But when Evan did his first little mess of trouble, that daring smile that appeared on his face, so much like Adrian's, was a dead giveaway."

"Abe, we must get them to safety," Hanson said, scanning the view from the windows.

"_You _must get them to safety, Hanson. Take care of my daughter and my wife. And take care of yourself, Hanson."

"Abe—" Nadia called out, reaching for Abe's hand but Abe decided to ignore her and turned to Hanson instead.

"Go on, Hanson—don't let them out of your sight." To Zack: "Let's go, Zack. We must inform _them_ the way has begun."

OoOoOoOoOo

Hell had come in the form of gunshots, screams, and thumps, which I assumed was bodies falling. My hands, my legs. . .my whole body trembled from the horribleness of it all. All I could do was wait, wait with Nadia, and wait till the whole mess was over so that Hanson could take us to safety. I rested my head on the top of my child's head and waited.

"What do you think is happening out there?" I asked Nadia, who was a little less freaked out than I was.

"Hell," she said with a sarcastic laugh. "Don't know why I ever took on this case?" She shot at Hanson.

"Case?"

"I _was _a private investigator, Rose. I was a rookie at that time, still am. Never had a chance to take on any other case. My boss wanted me to find out information about what Abe was doing and everything he was involved in, and that I was going to do. My job was to seduce Abe, tease him, and take the information out of him." Nadia gave a laugh with no humor. "Little did I know it would be him that seduced me. When his wife and him broke up, he took me as his wife. I never reported my information back to The Boss."

"What? You mean it was your job to marry my dad?"

"Nope, but I ended up doing it anyways. Why? Because I loved your dad."

I saw Hanson tense when she said that.

"I loved your dad—but I was in love with someone else. . ." Nadia let her voice trail off.

"Hanson?"

"Exactly," she gave a dirty stare at Hanson's back. "That's right, Hanson. I still freaking love you!" Hanson didn't make a move to acknowledge she had spoken. "As if he cares that I love him, as if he cares that I had his baby."

I wrapped my arms around myself, and my son, before blurting out, "Everyone I love is dying out there—my dad and my mom."

"And even Adrian," Hanson said softly.

I had a weird feeling in my stomach. Of course he'd be out there.

I couldn't let everybody I loved die.

"I have to go out there," I finally blurted out.

"You'll get yourself killed!" Nadia exclaimed.

"Well, I can't sit around here, while my parents murder each other out there!"

"She has a point, Nadia."

"Hanson, what hell is going through your mind?"

"I can't protect you both. I might as well take care of the woman I care most about—and my child."

"Hanson. . ." Nadia sadly said.

"What does it matter if she goes out there or not? We're all going to die anyway. We stand no chance."

"What about your son? Rose?" I could see Nadia was on the verge of crying.

"You take care of him, Nadia." I tear rolled down my cheek. Pressing a huge kiss to his cheek, I handed him to Nadia, feeling like I was handing her my heart. "Take care of him, please?"

"Rose. . ."

But I was already on my way to the Main House.

"Rose!"

Hanson tossed me something heavy and black.

"You're going to need it. Good luck."

"Take Nadia and the kids out of here. Try and protect them. And good luck, Hanson."

I made way to the Main House unnoticed, thank God. The activity had increased by much. Before you heard a gunshot every three seconds, and now the silence was all you heard. I leaned against the wall, looking around for anybody coming. I begged for my footsteps to be silent as I walked inside.

I gasped at the horror of dead bodies. Two bodies stood out: Dimitri and Christian. They were as good as dead.

A hand wrapped around my throat, and there was a blade pressed to my skin.

Her evil laugh filled my head, invading the walls I had created. "There you are, Rose. I was beginning to wonder."

I turned around to see Alicia.

"Don't move or I will kill you."

"What do you want?" I was simply annoyed that she was bothering me. I wanted to find my dad or mom or Adrian, but she was stopping me.

"I want you to watch an assassination." She hauled me with her.

Goodness...looks can be deceiving. I thought she was an innocent blonde. But it turned out she was an evil bitch.

"Don't try anything funny or I will kill you."

We rounded the corner and I could see two people arguing.

My parents.

"I always hated you, Abe!" My mom yelled.

"Well, do you really think I _loved _you," my father yelled back.

"I hate you," my mom spat.

"Hate is a deadly feeling, don't you think?" A laugh filled with no humor. "But you know what's deadlier?"

"What?"

"Love is a whole lot deadlier. Don't mess with love unless you want to get hurt."

I was glad Alicia was covering my mouth, for not—they would have heard my gasp and cry as they pointed guns at each other.

A few minutes later, my dad dropped his gun. "God help me, I can't kill you, Janine. I love you. . ."

"But I don't!" My mother fired the gun and it landed straight in the forehead of my father's.

I cried out. "No!" It was to meek of a whisper for anyone to hear.

"You like that, don't you?" Alicia said wickedly.

I saw my mom's face crumble in pain. And I saw her kill herself in the same way she had killed my father.

"That was fascinating," Alicia's nasty voice drawled. "Would love to see it once more."

I sobbed.

I saw movement up ahead of me.

And a voice.

_His _voice.

"Do anything to her, you bitch, and I swear to whoever you believe in I will send a bullet through your head, while I shove a knife through your heart, and laugh while you bleed to death."

Alicia's evil laugh rang out. "Damn you, Adrian. Watch me kill her. Killing is so lovely, don't you think?"

She pressed the blade harder onto my neck, drawing some blood.

"Alicia, leave her the hell alone."

I met his eyes and I saw the panic in them. He was scared for me, for what happened to me.

"God, Adrian! Why did you have to choose this whore over me? You know I was carrying your child!"

Alicia's craziness from before was coming out once more.

"You never were anything. You were just my casual lover of the night."

"You said you loved me."

"I must have been high when I said that. I've only ever loved once."

"No? You didn't love me?" She clicked her tongue. "Too bad. Now watch her suffer." She stabbed the blade in my leg. I screamed out.

Adrian fired his gun. The wind the bullet created stirred up my hair as it landing straight through Alicia's head. Alicia only had to time to gasp before she fell to the ground.

I fell with her, screaming out as I pulled out the knife. I didn't care about what happened to me. I cared about the two dead bodies, that had been my parents. They were dead.

Adrian ran to my side, tenderly cradling me against his arms.

"Is it over now?" I asked, my eyes only on my parents.

He nodded.

"Yes, Rose. The war has ended."

I turned around in his arms, on sobbed onto his chest, mourning the death of my parents.

**You can say it, I suck at writing action. **

**Thanks for all the awesome reviews!**

**-M**


	20. Love is Cruel

**Whoa! Another chapter done! **

**I don't own VA…**

Chapter 20: Love is Cruel (And Painful)

I was shaken from the hairs of my head to the soles of my feet. Better yet—I was numb, barely feeling any emotion at all, except I k new for a damn fact that I was frightened. I another state-being of mine, I would loved how I was in Adrian's arms for I had not seen him in almost two tears, but I didn't. The pain expressions of my parents kept creeping into my mind.

Adrian shifted my weight as he stood up with me.

"I can walk—Alicia barely mange to gash my skin." His growl was not misinterpreted; Adrian was pissed that Alicia had hurt me. It made me feel like I was walking on a cloud. (And I had said I was feeling numb. Talk about bipolar people.)

"And I can carry you."

Fine bitch, be a stubborn ass. Let's see who gets tired first, after all we're _just _as stubborn.

"And I can walk."

With a dark look to the wall, Adrian set me down. I held in a little yelp as the pain shot in my thigh, smiling up at him instead. He walked fast ahead of me, but not too far away, in case people were around that wanted to kill me. I looked at the bloody mess that had become my safe home in just the last weeks. Everything was gone and destroyed. But the most important, and overall the saddest, thing from my home—my father was dead.

Trying to climb down the stairs was hell. I was tempted to call out for Adrian's help, but I could sense his brooding mood. He wasn't to be messed with right now. When a strange noise sounded, Adrian shot his gun in the direction of it. The gun clicked, signaling there were no more bullets.

Adrian stared at something, becoming bigger and bigger with each second. I was still on the middle part of the stairway so I didn't have any idea what he was looking at until Adrian spoke.

"You're lucky," he called out. At first, I thought he was talking to me and then someone appeared. "You're lucky my gun was out of bullets or else I would have shot you dead."

I scared me. The Adrian before couldn't have talked about death so easy. This Adrian talked about death like it was his habit and did it every day. Scary. But he couldn't have been a sexier man. . .

"You don't have any reason to shoot me," Hanson said, coming into view.

"I do now," Adrian said, pointing with his gun to the gash on my thigh. I flinched as he waved that dangerous weapon around. Adrian rolled his eyes and tossed the useless weapon aside. "Don't be ridiculous, Rose. I would pass a bullet through my head, before ever hurting you." He glanced back at Hanson. "And I wouldn't hesitate to pass another bullet through any other person that hurts you."

"Wow, thank you," I replied sarcastically.

Behind Adrian's back, Hanson cracked a smile. Adrian, noticing the grin on my face, and the way I looked at Hanson, glanced between Hanson and me. When he growled, I assumed he wasn't liking what he was seeing. My face broke into an even wider smile.

"We need to get out of here," Adrian finally said. I could tell he was still brooding, clearly in a very bad mood. "But let me scout the area first, people could be hiding."

"Just came back from doing, and it's best to get our shit together and get the fuck out here," Hanson replied, giving the house a cryptic look.

My heart stilled. I would be leaving my home, and every little memory I'd had in this house, I would be leaving behind. But Hanson was right; we needed to get the hell out of here! Ignoring the pain in my leg, (Jeez, I didn't really hurt that bad. I just wanted Adrian's attention.) I scurried behind Hanson, while Adrian took a protective stance behind me, so I could see my baby.

Nadia let out a huge sigh of relief when she saw me enter the secret room. "Thank God!" She ran up to me, and tightened her arms around my form. "I thought you weren't going to come back."

I took my baby out of her hands as soon as she let me go.

"Remind me to slap myself for leaving you," I spoke to the child in my hands. "I love you, baby." He wasn't awake to give me his loving grin as he always did when I told him I loved him.

"We need to go," Adrian declared, eyeing Evan in my arms, and then turning to look at the coldness outside. He unzipped his jacket and gently placed it over Evan's sleeping form. "It's cold for him outside."

"Let's go." Hanson called out.

I willed my hand not to start trembling as Adrian placed his hand over mine to lead me forward.

"Do you want me to carry him?" Adrian's gaze softened when he admired my son in my hands.

I gave him a confused look. Did he know this was his son? "I got him, thanks?" I only earned a shrug from him from my question look.

In the garage, Nadia gave me a challenging glare as I was about to sit in the front seat next to Hanson. I backed away.

"That's right, back away. And go ride with Adrian in the other car."

"You know how awkward that's going to be?"

"I don't care. I am riding with my man, now you go ride with your man and your son." Nadia gave me a teasing smile. "Enjoy the awkwardness."

OoOoOoOoOo

I nervously fiddled with the ring on my finger as I tried to endure the _comfort _(note the sarcasm) of being stuck inside a car with Adrian, whom I hadn't spoken to in two years or so. The music on the radio wasn't helping out very much, either.

I crossed my arms across my chest as I listened to the rest of the song.

That's the problem! You couldn't have loved me deeper because you already loved me enough. And you didn't hold on too strong. . .I _wanted _you to hold on, tighter if possible.

I slammed my finger on the power button of the radio.

"You could be nicer to the radio, you know." I turned to look at Adrian and I could see he too was affected with the song the same way as I was.

That was about it with conversation as we made our way to wherever we were going. I didn't know, but if Adrian wanted to kidnap me. . .little did he know that I would actually like that. Adrian's crazy driving slowed down when we arrived to the international airport. When Adrian parked the car, I immediately rushed to take Evan out of his car seat.

"Where are we going?" I asked Adrian as he slowed his pace to walk right beside me.

"Away" was all he said.

He gave me a sideways look, smile threatening his lips, as he knew the simple answer would annoy the life out of me.

Bastard.

Adrian handed out several hundred for the security inspection to let us through. Without hesitation, they waved us on. A plane was waiting, ready for takeoff, waiting for the last passengers to board the plane, which I assumed was Adrian and me. My legs hurt a little as I walked up the stairs of the plane, but I dealt with it.

Evan stirred in my arms as I took a seat alone in the middle of the plane and he began crying. I tried everything my mothering expertise knew but he wouldn't calm down. "Maybe he is hungry," Nadia suggested. She handed me a clean bottle from her diaper filled with milk. Evan downed it and resumed crying.

"Calm down, precious. Momma's got you."

I felt someone sit down next to me. It was probably Nadia. I was grateful she was here; she had better experience with kids than I did. Tan hands reached over and took Evan out of my arms. Nadia didn't have tan arms. I looked up and met the eyes of Adrian.

"Evan, little one, _dada_ is here."

I was flabbergasted.

"Dada!" Evan exclaimed.

"What's up, son?"

"You know. . .?" I asked Adrian, staring at Evan and then back up at him.

"Know that he's my son?"

I nodded.

"Of course, I do. I held him in my arms a few hours he was born."

"Who. . . ?"

"Marisol told me. I was a little pissed off that you didn't tell me yourself. Why didn't you do it?"

"I couldn't talk to you!" I raged.

"I suppose that's a reasonable answer," Adrian said at last. "When?"

"When what?"

"When did you get pregnant? Was it before the whole mess or after?"

"It was the night at The Venetian, the last time I saw you." My mind flew back to that day.

Out of the blue, he gave me a random smile, gazing down at our son and back up to me. "We did a good job, don't you think?"

My face cracked a smile on its own. "I think so."

He was an excellent father, that I noted as I watched him take care of Evan. It was clear that Evan loved his father very much.

With that off my mind, I turned to other matters. The question I'd been dying to ask him, wishing I'd get the answer I desperately wanted to hear.

"Adrian. . . ?"

"Yeah?"

_Now or never, Rose. _

"Do you think—do you think we could ever. . .make us work like we did before?"

"It's impossible to get things back the way they were before." A wistful sigh. "And I don't think we can make _us _work ever again."

What had my parents said?

"_I hate you," my mom spat. _

"_Hate is a deadly feeling, don't you think?" A laugh filled with no humor. "But you know what's deadlier?" _

"_What?" _

"_Love is a whole lot deadlier. Don't mess with love unless you want to get hurt." _

Don't mess with love unless you want to get hurt.

"Why not?" I was on the verge of tears.

"I need some time—we need some time."

"Those two years weren't enough for you?"

"Let's just forget we ever had anything. It's going to better for all."

My gaze dropped to the ground. "It's kind of hard to forget when I see the reflection of your face every time I look at Evan, and it's even harder when I look at him, all the memories come rushing back, reminding me of everything you and I had."

"Give me time, Rose. Maybe in some years we can try again."

"It won't matter in some years."

"I'll go away, then."

My head shot back up. "Evan has a right to a father, you know. He needs you in his life. Stay, not for me, but for him. And I'll leave you alone." My heart breaking, I said, "And I'll forget we ever had anything."

"I'll stay. For Evan."

"That's all I was asking for."

I tried to hold back my tears, but as soon as he emptied the seat next to me, I exploded, tear after tear invading my eyes.

"I'm sorry, Rose."

Nadia's light hands wrapped around my shoulders.

"I _am_ sorry. But it's love and it's cruel. . ."

I cried even harder.

"And painful."

**Well, isn't that quite true. Sadness. Poor Rose. **

**What do you think should happen next—with Adrian and Rose? **

**I loved the reviews! **

**-M**


	21. Don't You Wanna Stay

**Oh God. My last chapter. Enjoy:)**

**I don't own VA…

* * *

**

Chapter 21: Don't You Wanna Stay

Adrian-

I watched the ash-wood branch be burned as the fire enflamed it. The window's shade I had uncovered; there was a snowfall tonight, and nothing to me was more astounding than a snowfall—except Rose, but she was a whole different matter entirely. The moon tried to shine, but the inflammation of the clouds obscured the light. I was glad Hanson and Nadia had gone out, and so had Rose; it gave me some alone time to think ,something I desperately needed.

The dim lights of the den, the snow falling, and the fire burning in the chimney put a hamper on my thinking. I let myself go to the wonderful scene that was surrounding me.

_There is always time for thinking later. _

I was brought back to the world when the bottle of whiskey was empty. My comfort (whiskey) was gone; I was completely alone now. Somewhere, sometime, my mother had once told me "You'll always have an angel watching over you; she'll never let you be lonely." And she was right because right then. . .

My angel walked in.

I had to crack a smile at her appearance—hair obscured by a beanie that was decorated with snowflakes, body clothed in at least seven layers of winter clothing, and cheeks and nose red with cold. She couldn't have been anymore beautiful.

"It's cold out there," I commented, feeling immediately stupid as I said it. Obviously she knew it was cold.

"No, shit, Adrian? It's so hot out there, I could run around naked and feel no tinge of cold," Rose sarcastically said.

"I'd like to see that," I said, throwing her a cheeky smile. "And when you're done running, you can come lay with me in bed, naked, so I could warm you up."

"It's as cold as a bitch out there. I am never going to leave this house—well, until it stops snowing, I'm not leaving, and nor are you Evan." Rose reached down into Evan's infant car seat and pulled him onto her lap as he was napping. He was wrapped up in the same amount of clothes his mother was.

Settling Evan in her hands, Rose threw off her scarf and beanie.

I nearly died.

"What happened to your hair?"

Rose shrugged. "I cut it off."

"Rose—why?" I looked at the shortness of her hair, barely covering the middle of her ears. What happened to the dark, long locks that used to cascade over her shoulders and about her waist. Now, the back didn't even reach the top of her neck.

"It was a pain, trying to stylize it every morning." She dismissed the subject with a wave of her hand. She went back to our son, removing his jacket carefully, softly taking off his shoes, giving each of his feet a tender kiss, slipping off the gloves off his long hands, and brushing a curl of dark hair from his face. With a loving smile, she inclined her head downwards to kiss both of our son's rosy cheeks. "I love you, baby."

I was surprised when the words "You're a good mom" left my mouth.

Rose gave me a brief smile and a sideways look. "I try to be," she admitted sheepishly, her gaze flowing to our sleeping child in her hands. "I want to be as good of a mother as my mother was once to me." Her eyes wandered to the floor. If it wasn't for the dim lighting, I would have never noticed the faint glistening in her eyes and cheeks.

"I'm sorry, Rose," I said, standing up and sitting down next to her. I was so very close to her, close enough to feel and hear the intake and outtake of her breath, and yet a yawning chasm was between us, stretching, making us very separated, far away.

"I'm all alone now," she said, referring to the fact that her parents were dead. "It, you know, hadn't sunk in until I visited my parents grave today. . . I'm really alone in this world now."

"You are not alone! You are surrounded by people that love you. You have Nadia, Hanson, Marisol, Paisley, my parents, Evan, and even—me." I took her hand, grasping it tightly.

Rose's eyes met mine with great sadness. "Why do you keep pushing me away, then?"

With a sudden bout of anger—anger to the world, I shot up. "I'm not good enough for you, Rose. I killed people. I did bad—horrible things in these past months. . ."

"Then, tell me, who's good enough for me?" she exploded, standing up as well so she was only inches from my face.

"Not me."

"You were good for me once, you are good for me now, and you _can _be good for me for forever!"

"I am not, Rose. And nothing can change the fact. Hanson is a whole lot better for you!"

"I don't want Hanson! I want you, Adrian." Defeated, she sighed and sat back down.

"I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry as well I'm not going to bother you again about—us. I understand you don't want to be with anymore, or ever again."

My heart lurched. "I never said that."

She shrugged. "You might as well have."

"Rose—"

"Hey, boo-boo." Rose said to Evan as he woke. Our screams had disturbed his sleep.

Evan smiled, over-excited, when he saw me. I took him out of Rose's arms. A pair of green-brown eyes met mine.

"Damn, son; you're as gorgeous as your daddy—"

"You're so full of yourself, Adrian," Rose said, rolling her eyes, trying to hold back a smile.

"—and as beautiful as your mother."

Rose's smile faded. My smile grew.

"That's right, Rose." Her dubious look made me go further in my conversation. "Just because 'I don't want to be with you anymore,'" I said, quoting her ridiculous words from before, "don't mean I can't think you're beautiful."

I bore down my gaze at her with a huge smile. Until I saw hurt flash in her eyes, brown eyes of her, my smile faded. Somehow the smile from before was ripped off and was replaced by a frown.

"Fuck Adrian!" Stealing Evan back from my hands, tossing something on the coffee table, she started her way to her room. "Goodbye," she said, very softly and walking away, without turning back around.

"Rose," I called out softly. "I love you."

But she had already walked away.

I looked at what she tossed on the coffee table. It was the ring I had given her when Marisol had gotten married. And she had kept it all this time.

_Fuck Adrian, _was right.

_I am so sorry, Rose. Why do I do this to you? Why can't I just give into you already? Why can't I tell you how much I missed you? Those wonderful moments with you, of course I remember; they're only my every other memory. And why can't I just tell you how much I love you? _

Because I am a fuck-up, Rose.

OoOoOoOoOo

Nadia-

"Rose!" I called out from the bottom of the stairs. "Don't make me come up there and drag you down here! You need to eat!"

"Chill, Nadia. I'm here."

"Girl, don't you make me yell like that again—" I stopped talking when I took a look at her saddened eyes, glistening with previous tears. "Rose, is everything well?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

Translation: No, and I don't want to talk about it.

"Okay, well. . .dinner is ready, but eat something, please?"

"I will."

At the dinner table, the tension was thick as it radiated off from Adrian and Rose. Something must have happened while Hanson and I were gone. Neither of them ate anything, pushing small bits of food into their mouths every so often. Those two—or well, Adrian—needed to get over his shitty pride and tell Rose how he was really feeling!

Hmm. . .my brilliant mind needed to think of something so they could get back together.

Smiling behind my glass of water, I began thinking up some ideas in my head.

As soon as dinner was done, and Rose helped me clean the kitchen, I set down a box of chocolates in front of Rose.

"Here you go, love."

"Chocolates?"

"I hear they're good for bad relationships and breakups. Figured you need them."

"I don't need them," she protested. But she picked one out of the box anyway and until pretty soon the box was empty.

I picked up the box and threw it away. "Wow you really ate these things fast."

"Well, yeah. It had only three chocolates."

I didn't dare to ask her about what was happening between Adrian and her at the moment so I asked her about her meeting with the lawyer. Since her parents had both died, and she was the only daughter, everything they owned would be going to Rose.

"How did it go with the lawyer?"

"It went well. I just had to sign papers to receive the money and set up a bank account."

"You're going to get a decent amount of money."

Rose's eyes saddened. "I know, but I rather much have my parents."

I nodded, I didn't want to upset her any further.

"So. . .about you and Adrian. . . ?"

"Hmm?"

"I thought by now you two would be locked up in your bedroom?" I saw her face fall. "Is everything okay?"

Rose went a little mad when I asked her the question. Her face fell into her hands. "I love him, Nadia! Why can't he see that? He's pushing me away and quite frankly I'm tired of him pushing me away."

I tapped my nails against the marble counter, turning a speculative look on her.

"What's up?" she asked, her eyes widening.

"The Midnight Gala—is what's up."

She shrugged. "So? It's not like I have a date or anything and it's required to get in. And an initiation."

"Uh, Hanson and I do, though. And the invitation strictly said we could bring another couple along. . ."

Rose finally caught on with me. "Oh, no. He's not going to want to go with me. He's going to push me away."

"Rose, I have awesome persuasive skills."

"Yeah, but he has awesome rejecting skills," she grumbled.

"Trust me, Rose. I can convince him." I smiled. "Now get on the phone and look for a babysitter."

OoOoOoOoOo

Adrian-

"Do you want to dance?" I asked the beauty that was sitting quite a few feet away.

I could see some hope in her eyes, but it quickly faded. Somehow, though, she reluctantly took my hand.

I pulled Rose into my arms, setting my hand softly on the small of her back, taking her cold hand in mine as we danced to the song _Let Me Down Easy _by _Billy Currington. _I didn't have trouble holding her gaze; it was she that was having trouble keeping her gaze steady on mine. Rose trembled in my arms; she was scared of rejection, not just rejection—scared of _my _rejection.

Staring deep into her eyes, I could see she was hurt by me, but she loved me.

I felt like the world's biggest ass.

Here was the world's prettiest woman and here was the big dick that rejected the pretty girl.

I slid my hand up her back, going all the way to the back of her neck where her new hair rested. "Don't know why you cut your hair; it was really beautiful."

Rose released a frustrated sigh. "Don't say those things if you want me to forget about you!"

"Damn I such an ass."

"You think!"

I made a sound of amusement. "Why in the world would you think I wanted you to forget about us?"

"Because you said so! Remember on the plane?"

"I feel like an even bigger ass. Look, Rose."

"What do you want?"

"I love you, down to the bone, I love you. I don't know how you could have believed my stupid lies."

I could see tears welling in her eyes. "Then why have you been pushing me away!"

"Because I am a fuck-up, Rose," I said, repeating my words from before. "And I'm an even bigger fuck-up without you!"

Rose broke away from my arms and ran out.

I ran after her.

I rounded the corner before I saw her speed away in the black sports car her father had left her. I reached around in my pockets until I found the keys of the car I had let Hanson and Nadia borrow. Well, they had to walk home 'cause I was gonna go after my Rose.

I parked my car lazily in the garage as I ran after Rose. She was running up the stairs when I caught up to her. We stopped at her door.

"I don't want it anymore! I don't want anything to do with you!" I could see the tears falling off her eyes.

"So you don't want anything with me anymore? You don't want to hold each other tight and then fall asleep in each other's arms and love one another till forever ends?"

"I don't know what I want anymore," she finally whispered.

"I believe this belongs to you," I told her, taking her hand forcefully and slipping on the ring. "And it will always belong to you. . .because I love you, and you're the woman I want forever with."

Our gazes met and I saw that her resolve wavered.

I drew her in towards me and pressed her forehead to mine. She placed her hands on the back of my head and I leaned in for the kiss I had been dying to give her ever since I saw her at the house.

The world exploded in passion.

Until, she pulled away.

"Damn Rose; a kiss from your lips, and I'm at your mercy."

Rose pulled me head down towards hers again.

Another kiss. I placed soft kisses all over her lips. She giggled. "I missed you a lot."

"God, Rose, you don't know what you're talking about. Every time I jumped into bed, I closed my eyes, and wished I was somewhere with you, lying down, and loving you."

"I wished I was somewhere with you, too. . ."

I stepped closer to her. "And now that I am somewhere with you, I don't want to let you go ever again." She stepped father away from me. I could tell she edging me closer to her bedroom.

Rose gave me a chaste kiss.

"Don't tempt me; you're going to make me want to stay. And I have to go pick up Evan from my mom's. . ."

"He's in good hands," Rose said, shrugging already pulling down on one of her straps. I ran my tongue across my bottom lip as I saw the other strap slip off her shoulder. And then the dress slid off her perfect body.

My eyes were blinded with love and lust.

"Well," she said, leaning against the doorframe, smiling with real happiness. "don't you want to stay a little while?"

With a smile like that, who could resist?

* * *

**Was it too cheesy or what? Or do you think it lacked something? I thought it lacked something? **

**Expect an Epilogue soon. . .**

**Thanks for all the reviews! Sorry I haven't replied to them. . .**

**-M**

**P.S. The Songs mentioned in this chapter are a MUST LISTEN! The first one Let Me Down Easy-Billy Currington. Don't You Want To Stay- Jason Aldean ft Kelly Clarkson and Somewhere With You by Kenny Chesney inspired this chapter. **


	22. Epilogue

**Last chapter. Sadness. **

**I don't own VA…**

Epilogue: Life is Good

_I'm going to murder that phone. _Damn you phone, why won't you shut the hell up? The loud ringing didn't help the pounding in my head. Adrian, me, a couple of close friends and some family had had a little fiesta (party) last night. We'd partied maybe a little too hard last night and earlier this morning.

"Can you please shut that thing off?" I told Adrian. He was fast and too deep in sleep to even acknowledge my words. I could feel his warm breath caressing the bare skin of my neck as he spooned me from behind, an arm casually draped over my body.

I grabbed the phone from the nightstand and pressed down the power button. It had the nerve to ask _Turn off, really? _(an annoying habit of the Droid). Wishing there was a _F yes! _option, I threw the phone back on the night table. A peaceful sigh escaped my lips as all was quiet.

I resumed my sleep for a few seconds, until a baby started wailing from the nursery across my master bedroom.

"It's five in the morning, I have the worst hangover—no way in hell I'm waking up yet," I whispered very fiercely to the ceiling since obviously no one awake was around. I closed my eyes again.

The crying only got louder.

"You better go before she gets pissed off," Adrian muttered in his sleep, putting a pillow over his head.

Bastard.

Oh, no, Ivashkov. Hope you enjoy your last seconds of sleep, dear.

I quickly made my way to the nursery of my newest—and most definitely my last—baby. I reached down into the crib and cradled her in my arms, while blindly trying to make her a bottle of formula. Once her diaper was changed as well, and her bottle made, I padded back to the master bedroom and laying my baby beside Adrian.

"Here you go, love. I changed her and made her some feeding formula! Hurry, feed her before she gets mad," I said, repeating his words from earlier.

Adrian sent a sinister glare my way, but the interpretation of the stare was marred by his sleepiness. "No problem, babe. Talia loves sleeping in the arms of her daddy. Wonder when her mother lost the appeal to be in my arms?"

"It's five in the morning, no time to be discussing this. If you want later on—after I have been rested, I'll show you just how much I love being in your arms. But not now since I have no energy for that."

Adrian leaned over and gave me a slight peck on the lips. "Sleep, darling. And yes, later you can show me how much you love being in my arms, seeing as how you didn't give me any earlier today. . ."

"Oh, forget you. I gave you plenty earlier today."

"Please, dearest, you're in not logical when you don't sleep enough—go to sleep."

A faint smile appeared on his lips before I zonked out.

My hangover eased some when Adrian joined me in bed sometime hours later.

"Where are the kids? Who's watching them?"

"Told Evan I'd double his allowance for the rest of the year, just as long as he let his parents sleep another hour or so." Adrian tossed my hair to the side as he tried to gain access to my neck with his lips. "But my darling—you have a promise to fulfill," Adrian said, immediately tucking me under him and kissing me passionately.

I was in the best of moods when I walked down the stairs, bathed and set for the day ahead. A plate of food waited for me on the counter. I was starved and last night's and this morning's activity hadn't helped with that. When I was done eating, I wandered around my new house, which was so far away from the life I'd had before. My past life was set on the East Coast, and my new life was setting on the West Coast—beautiful California.

"We need a lake house," Adrian had said. And that's exactly what we purchased. A house that had a lake as a backyard was pretty amazing. We'd gotten married of course and added two extra kids along the way.

The edges of my lips turned upright when I passed The Wall of Memories as my dearest husband loved to entitle it. Always count on the pictures of my kids—the smiley face of Evan Jacob when he was about three, the missing-a-tooth smile of Travis Scott as he bit off a bite of a humongous piece of watermelon, and of course, the beautiful Natalia Rose, the second day she was born in the arms of her father—to bring an adoring smile to my face.

And then there was the pictures of our wedding day. Every time I glanced at the family picture, a lump in my throat formed as I noticed only his family was present; my family could have been standing on the other side of me, but only Nadia stood alone. My sadness faded when I glanced at the picture between the family picture and the bridal party picture. It was the picture of my husband and me, sitting on a huge stack of hay. He stared at me, grinning as if he were a "bad boy," who was slyly pulling up the edge of my wedding dress, slowly exposing my cowgirl boot and leg, while I pretended to be the innocent girl, staring at the ground with an oh-so innocent smile on my face.

My other half and me wanted a Western themed wedding. You'd think it would be all hick town status, but it was pretty amazing. A wedding ceremony outdoors, surrounded by trees and millions of flowers. A wedding reception inside a barn. And a wedding party beneath the stars above. And we also wanted the homey feeling—that's exactly what we got. Oh, and there had been lots and lots of flowers—sunflowers, just like I asked.

"Mom!"

"Evan!" He rolled his eyes. "Yes, baby?"

_Teenager _would have been a more adequate word as opposed to _baby. _Evan was nowhere near being a baby—age wise because he would always be my baby, no matter how old he became. My E.J. had turned fifteen just recently, a few months before I turned thirty-five. (I was too young to be a mother of a fifteen year old, but I had been a mother right at the turn of nineteen.)

"Dad's calling you."

"For what? Tell him to leave me alone already."

Evan gave me a strange look. "I think I'll cry if you ever divorce my dad. He's amazing! And he said something about having a little family time with you."

"Do you really love your dad?"

"Yes I do, mom."

"Do you love your momma like you love your dad?"

"I love you both the same."

"Aww, that's my little boy," I said, messing with the mop of curly, black hair so much like his father's. Again, Evan was anything but little. "Where's your dad?"

"Sitting on the dock with Travis and Natalia."

"So do you like anyone from your school?" I randomly asked my son, only hoping to hear more of his life as we walked down the dock.

"Umm, there is this girl. . ." he began a little sheepishly.

"Oh-oh. Tell me about this girl?"

"Her name is Jasmine, but I think she doesn't like me much."

"Why?"

"I don't know—maybe she thinks I'm not pretty enough for her."

"Well, that's not true," I said, meaning every word. Evan was gorgeous, from the curly hair to the hazel eyes of his. "And don't go for those girls. Go for the quiet girls, the ones that appreciate and thank you for little comments you give her."

He stayed quiet as we walked the dock. "It's cold," I commented.

He immediately unzipped his jacket and put it on me.

That's my baby.

"But then you're going to be cold," I complained. "I rather, a million times, get sick than you."

"I'm not cold," he replied. I eyed him suspiciously. He was wearing some basket ball shorts, and light tee, and some moccasins (the way teenage boys dressed nowadays), how could he not be cold?

"About time you came out," my husband called out. "I was beginning to miss you."

"I am sorry your poor self has missed me for three minutes, husband of mine."

"Come join me," Adrian said, patting the spot next to him on the dock as he my son Travis sat next to him, dipping his tiny feet in the water, while he struggled with five-month Natalia in his hands.

Lifting up the sides of my dress of my teal summer dress that twisted around my neck, I sat down next to Adrian and dipped my feet in the water just like Adrian. Travis immediately situated himself on my lap. He was a little jealous of Natalia, of how Adrian and I gave her all of our attention, when just a couple of months ago, it was him that got all of our attention. The same process had been repeated with Evan; Evan hated Travis when he was born, but then Travis grew old enough to where they both could be trouble makers and then Evan loved Travis. It Adrian and me nine years to decide if we wanted another baby. Then, Travis happened and we did want another baby. And then we found out we were—well, I was pregnant with Natalia and we decided three babies were enough.

"Nice day today," I observed, loving the way the wind softly blew my hair.

"Nice day for a little dip in the lake," Adrian said, a slight gleam in his eyes, staring over at me before looking down at the water.

"Ivashkov, if you throw me in there," I said, guessing his thoughts. My husband wasn't really hard to read; he was pretty much out there. "I'll make sure I take you in with me."

"I'd like that very much."

"Oh, God," Evan groaned from in the middle between Adrian and me. "Please don't get sexual while I am sitting in the middle of you two!"

"Nobody told you to sit in the middle of us, son. You know how naughty your mother and I can get."

Evan's tan skin obscured some of the redness he had on his cheeks.

"Your dad's just teasing you, my child," I said, tousling his dark hair and kissing his forehead. I know he acted like he hated when I treated him like a baby, but secretly, I knew he loved the attention from his mother.

"So when is Gammy coming for you?" Adrian asked, tossing a pretzel into his mouth.

Adrian's mother loved her grandchildren. And had relocated closer to us when she found out we had moved so far away. Daniella always liked watching our kids on the weekends. One weekend Marisol's three kids were with her, and the next weekend, my kids were with Daniella and Nathan. Today was the weekend with Marisol's kids, but since Marisol and her family were gone on a family trip, so my kids had another weekend with Daniella.

"She's here now," Evan said, putting his mobile back in his pocket and standing up. "Hey, Grandma."

I turned to my left and saw Daniella and Nathan walking along the dock.

"Gammy!" Travis cheered in my hands.

"Travis!" The kid in my hands squirmed until I let him go to his grandma. "Adrian, Rose. Hello darlings. How are you today?"

I stood up and hugged and kissed Daniella. "It's a nice day, I'm good, thanks."

"I'm doing good, too, mama," Adrian said, tossing another pretzel in his mouth. "I would get up and hug you, but I'm too lazy."

I slapped the top of his head. "Get up and hug your mamma."

"Nah, I'm cool. She knows I love her. Right, mamma?"

"I am kind of glad I didn't have another kid like you. I'm grateful for my Marisol," his mother commented.

"Yo, Nathan."

"Adrian, have some respect for your dad. Sometimes I feel like Evan is more mature than you, my husband."

"Well, we're gonna head off. We have some reservations and we don't want to lose them by being late."

"Alright, bye, Daniella." Adrian called out.

"Adrian!"

But Daniella chuckled. "It's okay, Rose. I'm used to that behavior. Don't worry about your kids, you know I'll take care of them."

"Thanks, Daniella."

I gave huge hugs and kisses to my kids before letting them off.

When they were gone, I subtly made my way to Adrian and pushed him off the dock. Before he fell, though, he grabbed my hand and pushed me in with him. I gasped at the coldness of the water, but the water was at an adjustable degree of coldness.

Adrian laughed as he pulled me out of the water, pressing me very close to home. Don't know what it was, but when the sun went down, it was as if Adrian and I magically turned into teenagers foolishly in love.

"Didn't think I'd bring you down with me, did you, lady Ivashkov?"

"No! I was planning on getting in here myself, Mr. Ivashkov."

I pulled his shirt over his head and reached around to pull of his shorts and anything else that was in the way of having him naked. I threw his sopping clothes on the dock.

"God, you're gorgeous, woman!" Adrian expressed, undoing the tie of my dress and slithering it over my head and tossing it on the dock.

The linger sigh I tried to restrain escaped my lips. Adrian smiled knowingly; he knew he had me.

"I freaking love you, woman!"

"And I freaking love you more, man!"

He smiled down at me. I gazed at him, loving how the water dripped from the edges of his wet hair.

"We're both the water. What do you suggest we do?"

"I don't know," I answered.

"Well, I can tell you what's sure. We have a wonderful house, an odd marriage—not perfect because perfect is boring, three beautiful children that we love, and a love that grows more and more each day that passes."

"That's about right," I said.

I gazed into his eyes, and he in mine, the love flooding the air, and our lips meeting each other once more.

**The End**

**Cuteness. Well, in my opinion. **

**Long A/N coming up in a few minutes. I need to type it and express my thoughts about the upcoming book that's gonna release in three days! (My time.) **

**Before I end this story, I want to say THANK YOU! **

**-M**


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